Times Of Swaziland: SA KICKS OUT 4TH  POLITICAL ACTIVIST

SA KICKS OUT 4TH  POLITICAL ACTIVIST
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BY SABELO MAZIBUKO on 01/08/2014 05:00:00


MBABANE – An exiled Swazi political activist is stuck in South Africa after
his asylum was rejected. This comes just a week after the SA government rejected
asylum for three other Swazi political activists. Pius Vilakati, former
Univesity of Swaziland (UNISWA) SRC president, has come out to say his
application for asylum was also denied in SA.
“Practically, I am on the Swaziland-South Africa border-line seeking to be
allowed to enter South Africa. With this permit, I cannot exit South Africa
since it does not entitle me to a passport. Generally, I am stuck here in South
Africa, and so are the three CPS leaders,” lamented Vilakati.
CPS is the Communist Party of Swaziland.Vilakati’s plight was also confirmed
by the party’s National Organising Secretary Njabulo Dlamini.
As a result, Vilakati said he was now stuck in SA.
He said his asylum was rejected in 2010 on the basis that Swaziland was now a
liberated country. He said the officials in SA told him in no uncertain terms
that there was nothing wrong in the country since it has no political
instability whatsoever. Vilakati is the fourth exiled Swazi political activist
to reveal having had his asylum rejected.
“Since 2010, together with other comrades, we have been trying to appeal that
decision. If the problems in the department are not resolved timeously, I expect
to face the same treatment as the three leaders endured when my appeal takes
place, if it will ever take place. The only legal document I have is an
“Asylum Seeker Temporary Permit” which I have to renew every six months,”
lamented Vilakati.
He expressed belief that there was something happening on the background at
leadership-to-leadership level, but when he got information that the three CPS
leaders were being threatened with deportation, he said he realised that
closed-doors discussions will not assist on this one.
“It has been four years since I arrived in SA but all the material problems I
had on arrival are still there. The legal document that I have since 2010 is an
‘Asylum Seeker Temporary Permit.’ I, together with other comrades, have not
received any refugee status other than an asylum seeker document,” lamented
Vilakati.
According to the permit, Vilakati said asylum seekers were entitled to work and
study in SA. However, he said he was faced with numerous challenges, some of
which include that he is unable to open a bank account with his existing permit
as no financial institution accepts it in SA.
“I have tried all of them. Imagine the trials and tribulations I have to go
through whenever someone wants to send me money. Imagine the stress and
frustrations that engulf me whenever I have to ask someone to accept money for
me through their account,” said Vilakati.
He said before he could successfully enrol at the institution in which he is
currently studying, he had to go to a couple of post offices to pay the
necessary application fee since no staff member could understand the document he
had in his position.
Vilakati said even getting a house was another impossible task. He said one
needs both a valid ID and a bank account in order to rent a house. He said the
only alternative was to get a small backroom in the township since no one asks
questions.