EXCLUSIVE | The Russian actress, the billionaire’s party and the bogus asylum claim
News 24 – 04 May 2022
- An actress living in London, who arrived in South Africa to attend a party hosted by a well-known South African businessman, was denied entry into the country.
- After being denied entry because she didn't have a valid visa, there was alleged political interference to persuade immigration officials to let her in.
- After alleged attempts to persuade officials didn't work, the actress then claimed to be an asylum seeker.
A Russian-born actress living in London appears to have made a bogus asylum claim in order to get into the country to attend a party hosted by a South African billionaire, after alleged political interference to persuade immigration officials to let her in failed.
On 28 April, a private charter flight landed at Cape Town International Airport. Ieva Andrejevaite was among the passengers which included a British billionaire, who owned the plane.
The purpose of the visit was to attend a series of parties being hosted by the South African businessman.
This was confirmed by a source with intimate knowledge about the incident. The source said the passengers on the plane told immigration services that they were in the country for leisure and made it clear that they were going to attend a party being thrown by the well-known South African businessman.
While the rest of the passengers were allowed to enter South Africa, Andrejevaite was stopped as she did not have a valid visa to enter the country.
It is believed Andrejevaite was travelling using a Lithuanian passport, which meant that she required a visa to enter the country.
The Department of Home Affairs confirmed to News24 that Andrejevaite arrived without a visa, which was detected by immigration officials.
She was subsequently denied entry.
Interference
Following the decision to bar Andrejevaite entering, it is understood that immigration officials dealing with the incident started receiving a number of phone calls to persuade them to deviate from the normal processes and help the actress find a way to enter the country.
News24 further understands that there were also attempts by a minister's personal assistant to intervene.
However, the immigration officials did not buckle under the pressure and remained resolute that Andrejevaite would not be entering the country.
Home affairs spokesperson Siya Qoza did not say whether immigration officials had been subjected to outside or political pressure but said, "We are happy that immigration officials stuck to the provisions of the law and never deviated from it."
He did not say whether the passengers on board the plane informed immigration as to the purpose of their visit.
Asylum
After attempts to have immigration officials change their decision, an attorney was appointed for Andrejevaite. The attorney told officials that the actress wanted to apply for asylum as she has ties to Ukraine.
Qoza confirmed this and added that "... immigration officials told him that applicants needed to apply for asylum themselves. Nobody is allowed to apply for asylum on somebody else's behalf."
The source said that Andrejevaite proceeded to submit an asylum claim and was advised to report to a refugee reception centre to lodge her claim in person. Her passport was also confiscated.
Qoza said that Andrejevaite was given an opportunity to apply for asylum and as a result, was allowed into the country.
Qoza said:
She was subjected to the transit processes contained in the immigration laws for people who claim asylum at Ports of Entry. She was then given a Section 23 permit that allows her to be in the country for purposes of applying for asylum. A Section 23 permit gives the applicant five days, by law, to present themselves at any one of the five Refugee Reception Offices. These offices are in Musina, Pretoria, Cape Town, Gqeberha, and eThekwini.
The source said that although immigration officials believed the asylum claim was bogus, their hands were tied because legally, if an asylum claim is lodged, the person must be allowed to enter the country and state their case.
The flight on which Andrejevaite arrived, departed from Cape Town International Airport on Sunday evening, however, she was not aboard.
Qoza has not confirmed whether Andrejevaite had since reported to a refugee reception centre, and if so, whether she had submitted a claim or cancelled it.
