Ten toddlers are among 41 foreign nationals who have been remanded in custody in connection with yet another scandal involving undocumented migrants in South Africa.
This comes as the country faces a growing crisis of undocumented foreign nationals entering its borders.
The group, which includes 15 men, 16 women, and 10 toddlers, was apprehended on Friday, at around 8pm near Kaapmuiden, Mpumalanga.
The arrest followed a tip-off from crime intelligence regarding two taxis allegedly transporting undocumented Mozambican nationals to Johannesburg.
Suspects face abduction charges
The suspects are aged between 17 and 40. They are facing serious charges, including kidnapping, aiding and abetting, and contraventions of the Immigration Act.
The toddlers, along with the women and teenage girls, are currently awaiting age determination, with their next court appearance set for Tuesday.
Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi explained the difficulty of handling cases against children.
“The Nelspruit-based Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation unit was informed and invited to the crime scene. The case docket has been handed over to them for further probe,” said Sekgotodi.
“The cases against the minors were not dealt with, pending the availability of probation officer and social worker.”
This incident underscores the growing problem of undocumented foreign nationals making their way into South Africa. This poses significant challenges for law enforcement and border control agencies.
Case postponed to next week
The Barberton Magistrate’s Court has postponed the men’s case to August 20, 2024, for the appointment of Legal Aid representatives. It was revealed that the women and toddlers will remain in custody until their next hearing.
The arrests come as the country faces a growing crisis of undocumented foreign nationals entering its borders, leaving vulnerable children caught in the crossfire of immigration crackdowns.
The children’s predicament echoes the recent case of former Miss South Africa contestant Chidimma Adetshina, whose citizenship was called into question during a Home Affairs investigation.
Home Affairs continues to probe the issue further. Its preliminary report suggests that Adetshina’s mother could have been involved in obtaining South African documents fraudulently more than two decades ago.
However, Home Affairs did caution that if any crime was committed, Adetshina would have been an innocent toddler back then.
The model’s case highlights the broader issue of undocumented minors being thrust into legal limbo. Their futures hang in the balance as authorities grapple with immigration enforcement.
As these 10 toddlers await age determination, their fate remains uncertain.
