Department of Home Affairs reopened
Upon visiting the office, it appeared that everything was in order and everyone back in business.
The Department of Home Affairs reopened its offices yesterday morning, after the Sheriff of the court returned the goods confiscated on Friday.
The department’s failure to pay a Chinese citizen the money owed to him, resulted in its offices being closed on Friday after the Sheriff confiscated some of its furniture.
The Sheriff, Mr Leonard Averies, confirmed that he acted on a court judgement, but did not elaborate on the reasons for it.
“The home affairs owes a Chinese citizen money. The court ordered us to seize assets more or less to the value of what it owes,” he said.
An impeccable source confirmed that the Chinese man had sued the department over his alleged wrongful arrest, but home affairs’ officials failed to attend the proceedings and the court ruled in the man’s favour.
Acting provincial manager, Ms Doris Chiloane, would not comment on why the assets were taken.
“The matter was referred to our legal-services department. We are negotiating, and waiting for the Sheriff to return our assets before we can open to the public,” Chiloane said.
Nelpsruit Post visited the offices at 11:00 on Friday where it was business as usual. An hour and a half later, furniture and computer equipment had been removed from the offices and people were turned away at the door. The staff stood around aimlessly. The office manager refused to speak to the newspaper.
Mr Gabrielle Borges had a crisis, and was one of the many members of the public who was not impressed. “My wife gave birth here. We were planning on returning to Mozambique over the weekend, I just needed to pick up my child’s paperwork. Now we cannot leave the country with our own baby because we don’t have her papers.”
Averies confirmed that they had returned the assets early on Tuesday morning. Upon visiting the office, it appeared that everything was in order and everyone back in business.
Chiloane confirmed that the offices are up and running, but could not comment on what the legal-services department had negotiated upon.
