American Musician Allowed to Leave South Africa After Saying Sorry to Home Affairs
PRETORIA – American musician Mos Def just discovered that saying ‘sorry’ means being able to leave South Africa. After he apologised “unreservedly” for trying to use a World Passport, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) announced in a media briefing on Tuesday that the apology is accepted, the charges dropped, and he may now leave the country. The artist – whose […]
PRETORIA – American musician Mos Def just discovered that saying ‘sorry’ means being able to leave South Africa. After he apologised “unreservedly” for trying to use a World Passport, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) announced in a media briefing on Tuesday that the apology is accepted, the charges dropped, and he may now leave the country.
The artist – whose real name is Dante Smith Bey, now known as Yasiin Bey – will leave today, 22 November 2016.
Bey was arrested and charged in Cape Town earlier this year for trying to leave South Africa without “proper travel documentation”.
He was using a World Passport which is not recognised by South Africa as a valid passport (although it is apparently accepted in some other African countries like Zambia and Tanzania.)
DHA Director General, Mkhuseli Apleni, said the department will drop charges against Bey on Friday, after he wrote an apology to the department.
“Based on his apology and the confirmation that he will depart on 22 November 2016, using a valid passport, the department will withdraw the charges against him, on Friday, 25 November 2016, in his absence,” Apleni said.
At the time of Bey’s arrest in January it was also established that his family’s visas had expired in 2014 and he was accused of illegally helping them to stay in the country.
Prior to his arrest, Bey had been a frequent traveller to South Africa, using a valid US passport.
Apleni said Bey has “unreservedly apologised” to the government of South Africa, particularly to the DHA, for his actions and for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Bey may apply for a waiver, for good cause, in terms of Section 2 of the Immigration Act of 2002.
Apleni said: “I would like to thank warmly our officials at the port of entry for their vigilance and understanding of the Immigration Act. It really gives us confidence that the country is in good hands.”
– SAnews.gov.za