Actor and Rapper Mos Def has been ordered to leave South Africa for breaking immigration laws.
He was arrested at Cape Town International Airport when he attempted to use a certain ‘World Passport’ as a travel document for departure.
The ‘World Passport’ is a dubious document issued by World Service Authority, a non-profit organization that promoted “world citizenship.” Many countries have said that they do not recognize the document and since it is not issued by a sovereign government, it does not meet the actual definition of a passport. But there are certain claims of people having used it to cross borders.
Mos Def now currently goes by the name Yasiin Bey, which is the name placed on the World Passport. His birth name is Dante Terrel Smith. He appeared on court last Friday.
Mayihlome Tshwete, spokesman for the South African Department of Home Affairs has tweeted out the decision and findings of the government.
According to the tweet, Smith and his family had been living in South Africa without the necessary permits and they were detained for using illegal travel documents when they attempted to travel. The South African government has given them 14 days until they are formally deported.
https://twitter.com/MTshwete/status/687974320082169856
https://twitter.com/MTshwete/status/687990034088202241
https://twitter.com/MTshwete/status/687990547101937665
He also tweeted that Smith entered South Africa using a legitimate U.S. passport which was legal. But he and his family stayed longer than what was allowed with their tourist Visa. According to reports, he has been living in Cape Town since May,2013.
But there is an added dimension to the issue. Mos Def who was born in Brooklyn, New York had previously renounced his American citizenship.
He had problems in re-entering the United States back in 2014 when he was denied entry and he had to cancel a concert tour as a consequence.
Author
