The Virtual Priority Court, which deals with immigration matters, has processed approximately 80 deportation orders as government intensifies efforts to enforce immigration laws and ensure the orderly deportation of undocumented foreign nationals.
“On 16 June, the Virtual Priority Court processed approximately 80 cases in which deportation orders were granted. All affected persons appearing before the Court were afforded their constitutional rights, including the right to legal representation, as provided by Legal Aid SA,” the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DoJCD) said in a statement on Wednesday.
Justice and Constitutional Development Deputy Minister Andries Nel visited the court, which is sitting at the Durban Magistrates' Court.
“As from today,17 June, five more in-person courts will be made available at the Durban Magistrates’ Court to hear immigration matters and the Virtual Priority Court will continue [linked to Court 9 at Durban Magistrates’ Court]. The eThekwini Municipality has undertaken to provide transport for persons between Sherwood Park and the Court,” the department said.
The Deputy Minister also visited the Sherwood Park Hall – where a reported 7000 Malawians have been gathering – to meet with the Consul-General of Malawi, Maxwell Biwi.
“Deputy Minister Nel reiterated President Cyril Ramaphosa’s message that South Africa will continue to engage other countries on the African continent to forge a broader response to migration challenges across the region and the continent.
“Deputy Minister Nel also commended the partnerships between the DoJCD, the DHA [Department of Home Affairs], eThekwini Municipality, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government, the Department of Health and the Department of Social Development which have all contributed to providing humanitarian support to persons at Sherwood Park,” the statement read.
Speeding up the wheels
The Virtual Priority Court forms part of government’s comprehensive response to the migration challenge.
“Following announcements in the State of the Nation Address in February and Cabinet’s adoption of a Comprehensive Approach for Migration Management, President Ramaphosa announced measures to ensure that immigration laws are respected and enforced and every person who enters the country does so lawfully.
“The establishment of the Virtual Priority Court was in response to a commitment made by the President that dedicated courts would be established to deal with immigration and to speedily support the deportation of undocumented migrants,” the department explained.
The court is a collaborative effort involving the DoJCD, the DHA, the judiciary and Legal Aid SA.
“The Virtual Priority Court makes use of advanced technology such as audio-visual linkages to Sherwood Park Hall, where a large number of Malawian foreign nationals are currently being sheltered.
“Use was also made of Integrated Justice System devices, such as the IJS’ Integrated Person Management solution, which manages and tracks a person across the entire justice system and enables a seamless collaboration between government departments.
“By making use of these devices, a person’s biometric data, identity verification and status checks against various databases [such as those of DHA and the SAPS] could be done in real-time, thus eliminating the need for manual checks and ensuring faster and more accurate processing of persons,” the statement explained. – SAnews.gov.za
