By Odwa Bafana Mkentane
The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has received numerous unsolicited submissions raising concerns about the continued participation of Ms Stefanie de Saude-Darbandi as a member of the Immigration Advisory Board (IAB). The submissions allege a potential conflict of interest and have prompted scrutiny over her role on the advisory body and whether it aligns with the principles of transparency and good governance.
“The committee has a duty to engage the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, to ascertain the veracity of the concerns raised and assess their actual or perceived impact on the work of the Immigration Advisory Board. As public representatives, we welcome the agency demonstrated by members of the public in bringing this matter to the committee’s attention. Given the seriousness of the concerns, the committee will consider placing the matter on the agenda for deliberation during the upcoming parliamentary term,” said committee Chairperson Mosa Chabane
Chabane said The committee acknowledges the important role played by the Immigration Advisory Board, particularly within the context of the ongoing national debate on migration and the review of the White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection.
“It is of the view that any real or perceived conflict of interest risks undermining public confidence in the advisory board and diverting it from effectively discharging its statutory mandate. While the committee recognises that members of the board are appointed from diverse professional backgrounds and many hold full-time positions elsewhere, it believes that appointments must always withstand public scrutiny. It is therefore important to consider whether any actual or perceived conflict of interest could compromise, or be seen to compromise, the independence, credibility and effectiveness of the board,” Chabane said.
