The Department of Home Affairs has issued over R25 million in fines to various international airlines for transporting illegal foreigners into the country. The airlines include SAA, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines and others.
The Department said that conveyance fines are issued to airlines when contraventions occur. The fines are essentially given to airlines that don’t check the validity of their passenger’s documentation properly.
Data published by the Department shows that in 2017/2018 Emirates was fined just under R7 million as it had transgressed the rule more than any other airline.
In 2017/2018 SAA was fined R4.44 million and Ethiopian Airlines, the third biggest fin of with R4 million
Breakdown of the fines from highest to lowest. Image: Department of Home Affairs
In an official statement the Department said that ‘further detail in respect of the fines cannot be provided due to current challenges with the revenue management reconciliation mechanism.’
‘The department is engaging the National Treasury with a view to implement improved measures, systems and revenue management (reconciliation) mechanism.’
The statement also said that no arrangements have been made with regards to ‘arrears’ as fines are not regarded as debt.
Image source: Unsplash
