The party would also ask the Public Protector to investigate her after she admitted, in a lengthy statement following a Sunday Times report, that she had helped facilitate Burundian woman Michelle Wege's release from a jail in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) so she could escape a life of abuse.

"Minister Mapisa-Nqakula must be held to account," Marais said.

Marais said Mapisa-Nqakula may have been acting on compassionate grounds, but could not be a law unto herself.

"Minister Mapisa-Nqakula vehemently emphasised the plight of Ms Wege as a frightened woman needing an escape from an abusive father. Wege's father has since come out denying abusing his daughter, and stating business ties to Mapisa-Nqakula," he said.

Twisted facts

In a follow-up report this week, the Sunday Times reported that Wege was romantically involved with Mapisa-Nqakula's late son Chumani. He was killed in an argument with a neighbour last year.

Marais said the charges would be in terms of Section 49(2) of the Immigration Act, which stipulates that: "Anyone who knowingly assists a person to enter or remain in, or depart from the Republic in contravention of this Act, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment not exceeding five years".

President Jacob Zuma has been given a report on the allegations.

When the Sunday Times broke the story, Mapisa-Nqakula said they had twisted the facts by saying she had smuggled the woman on an SA Defence Force jet. She was co-incidentally due for official business in the DRC, where Wege was being held in jail for allegedly having false travel papers from Burundi.

Mapisa-Nqakula helped facilitate her release. Wege was able to travel with the minister on a copy of her own passport with a South African visa in it, that she had saved on a memory stick. She said her intention was to save Wege from a life of abuse.

-News24.com