- Target:
- Department of Home Affairs South Africa and The South African minister of foreign affairs
- Region:
- South Africa
Thank you all who signed my petition, it was a great success, you can't even begin to imagine what this means to me, you'll be forever in my heart... Thanks a lot!
Mandela Ericson Afonso da Silva was born on the 6th of April of 1984 in Luanda, Angola. He first went to South Africa in 1997 when his father, lieutenant General João José Afonso da Silva of the Angolan army, was appointed on a diplomatic mission as the Military Attaché of the Angolan chancellery in South Africa.
He was in South Africa on a diplomatic visa for 7 years and it was then changed to a student visa when his father’s mission ended. When his student visa was about to expire he unfortunately lost his passport and I was waiting for my results and graduation from CTI (Computer Training Institute) in Pretoria. He did not know exactly when it expired and how long he was in South Africa. Because he needed to get a new passport and leave South Africa, he approached the Angolan embassy for instructions on how to leave and avoid getting in trouble with the South African immigration authorities (which is the main reason why he overstayed), he voluntarily went to home affairs department to solve the matter, he asked them to issue him a letter to explain everything to the immigration officers to avoid being banned (which is what happened after all).
Because he had been in South Africa without a valid visa, they asked him to get a laissez-passer or safe conduct from his embassy and a plane ticket, they issued him a voluntary order to leave ( which they said would solve all problems) the country by the 25th of June which was the date on the plane ticket and he did leave on the 25th of June. At the airport borders, they issued a fine for the time he had been in the country without a valid visa and he was told to pay it at the South African consulate in Angola and that there wouldn’t be any problems. Soon as he arrived, he paid the fine as he was told, he then applied for a holiday visa for 45 days and was told that he was not allowed in South Africa. He was told to write a letter to the Director General of Home Affairs South Africa explaining what had happened. He wrote the letter but the visa was denied!
He understands now that it is a very serious offence and he hereby truly apologises for unintentionally committing it.
He went to Angola for a couple of days for a new passport and he wanted to go back to South Africa to go and fetch his diplomas and belongings, and to terminate the various contracts that he had as he had already finished his studies.
Besides fetching his belongings, he asks to be pardoned for the unintentional mistake and carelessness on his part because it is really heart-destroying for him not be able to visit the country that not only gave him his education but also taught him some of the greatest lessons in life and gave him some of his best friends and moments in life, he would love to be able visit South Africa whenever possible for holidays, it is a country together with its diversity of people that truly holds a place in his heart.
Mandela da Silva holds no criminal records of any kind in the republic of South Africa or any other country and has never cost a cent to the South African government. He has never been a threat to anyone or any property.
The Give Mandela da Silva a second chance petition to Department of Home Affairs South Africa and The South African minister of foreign affairs was written by Anonymous and is in the category Family & Friends at GoPetition.