City of Cape Town employees are being trained as immigration officials in an effort to alleviate long lines at the Cape Town International Airport passport control gate.
Also read: Cape Winelands Airport is taking off promising 60k jobs
Immigration officials are typically appointed and compensated by the Department of Home Affairs. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis confirmed at an Exporters Western Cape Conference on 29 July that the City of Cape Town will fully fund the training of city staff to become immigration officials.
The intervention comes after a meeting between New Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber and Hill-Lewis in recent weeks.
‘Two weeks ago I wrote to the Minister of Home Affairs. I actually wrote to all new ministers. I sent them a long memo of what Cape Town wants from them and what Cape Town expects from them,’ Hill-Lewis explained. ‘We have been asking for this stuff for years. They had better deliver now that they have the chance.’
He stated that he scheduled a meeting with the Minister of Home Affairs within 48 hours of sending the memo and met with him within 72 hours.
Hill-Lewis stated that he had previously approached the Department of Home Affairs to discuss the city’s priorities but had not been successful.
Hill-Lewis proposed that Schreiber use his powers as Home Affairs Minister to appoint City of Cape Town staff as immigration officials at the Cape Town Airport passport control gates.
Explore Cape Town and its surroundings with these incredible deals on cars for under 100k. Find car listings here.
‘We will send city staff to the border at those peak times. We will pay for it, but the catch is you can’t make them walk down the line and greet people and hand out landing cards. You need to actually give them the power to get people through the border quickly.’
He stated that when multiple international flights arrive at the same time, it can take two to three hours to get through passport control.
However, he added that the minister can give someone the authority to become an immigration official.
Hill-Lewis stated that city employees will begin training to become immigration officers as early as next week.
Schreiber and Hill-Lewis shared a video on X last week detailing unrelated plans to launch joint eviction applications for foreign nationals in various parts of the city.
Cape {town} Etc discount: Looking for things to do in the city, at half the price? Get exclusive offers here.
Also read:
Flights resume at Cape Town International Airport after power outage
Picture: Pixabay