Hearing of contempt of court charge against Home Affairs postponed
The case between the Department of Home Affairs and immigration lawyers, who are accusing the department of being in contempt of a High Court order, has been postponed to next month.
The case arose after Home Affairs withdrew an instruction allowing asylum seekers and refugees to apply for permanent residence without giving up their asylum or refugee status. They also withdrew an instruction allowing asylum seekers and refugees to apply for temporary residence without a valid passport.
The matter was set down for 21 April in the Western Cape High Court, but Home Affairs requested a postponement as it was not ready for court proceedings.
Gershon Mosiane, Chairperson for the Forum of Immigration Practitioners of South Africa (Fipsa), which is bringing the case, accused Home Affairs of continuing to “frustrate the lives of asylum seekers and refugee seekers by deliberately delaying court processes”, of “not filing answering affidavits timeously” and of wasting taxpayers’ money.
