Bad news for foreign nationals looking to set up churches in South Africa as the country’s Home Affairs Department announced a new raft of measures.

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that foreign national religious workers will no longer be eligible for work permits, or permanent residency, in South Africa.

He said this while appearing before Parliament’s portfolio committee on Tuesday for an update on investigations into how Malawian evangelist Shephard Bushiri escaped South Africa.

Bushiri, who was facing money laundering charges, skipped the border in 2020 together with his wife. Motsoaledi said there is no doubt that Bushiri and his wife left South Africa illegally.

He said there is no record of the Bushiris leaving South Africa. Mostoaledi said:

I want to confirm that on our movement control system, we do not see any record of the Bushiris leaving, which means they left the country illegally.

He added that the Hawks would not reveal to him how Bushiri dodged immigration to return to Malawi.

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said foreign nationals seeking to start churches in South Africa will no longer be granted permanent residence status. He said the nationals will now be treated as visitors who can perform work. Motsoaledi said:

We are saying they must come only as visitors, but as visitors who can perform work. This change means there’s no avenue available for these religious workers to migrate to permanent residence status.

In related news, a chief director has been dismissed, and four junior officials are still facing disciplinary proceedings, for illegally granting Shephard Bushiri a residency permit. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi also revealed that an investigation was underway to determine how Nigerian evangelist Timothy Omotoso acquired South African residency.

Dr Aaron Motsoaledi  has announced that no foreign prophet or pastor will be allowed to live permanently in South Africa [Photo: GovernmentZA]

Omotoso is currently facing a raft of rape and human trafficking charges in the Eastern Cape.

Earlier this week, Malawian evangelist Shephard Bushiri claimed that South Africa’s security personnel were attempting to kidnap him and were tailing him in Malawi.