The Home Affairs Department has deported Lithuanian actress Ieva Andrejevaite after she fabricated a story of wanting to apply for asylum because of the conflict in Ukraine.
In a statement, the department says she arrived at the Cape Town International Airport in a private jet without a visa and was then refused entry by immigration officials.
Andrejevaite then filed an application at the Western Cape High Court which she withdrew after it was found that she had lied in it.
The actress was formally processed for deportation earlier this month and declared an undesirable person by immigration officials.
She is now prohibited from visiting South Africa for a period of five years.
In a statement, Home Affairs says: “As a result of our asylum seeker laws, immigration officials’ hands were tied and they were required to let her into the country so that she could apply for asylum within five (5) days. She was duly issued with an asylum seeker visa in terms of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002.”
“At no stage, during her stay in the country, did Ms Andrejevaite attempt to apply for asylum. As such, she became an illegal foreigner, as defined in the Immigration Act, because the five day period lapsed.”
“Instead, images of her attending a party in Cape Town hosted by Mr Rob Hersov surfaced on numerous publications and social media platforms.”
“Ms Andrejevaite subsequently launched ill-advised legal proceedings in the Western Cape High Court under case number 5268/2022 wherein she made further disparaging comments about South Africa, the Department of Home Affairs and its immigration officials. She also lied under oath as parts of her founding affidavit were clearly fabricated.”
