Archive for category: News

After several months of debating, The Department of Home Affairs and The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, have finally come to the conclusion of allowing South African- and Russian citizens to be visa-exempt when entering the respective country(ies).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation stated that –

“Under the Protocol’s provisions, citizens of Russia and South Africa travelling without the intention of working, studying or living in the other country’s territory, are free from visa requirements.” 

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The Spar retail group has responded to allegations by the Department of Home Affairs, saying that it does not wittingly employ undocumented migrants

Retailer Spar has denied wittingly hiring undocumented migrants as alleged by the Department of Home Affairs, which is driving a crackdown.

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba vowed last week that the department would take action against businesses employing undocumented migrants, saying this opened the way to xenophobic tension especially in communities where residents were competing for scarce resources.

The minister said the practice also left migrants vulnerable to exploitation.

The authorities had arrested 63 migrants working at three Spar branches, said Gigaba. Spar store managers at the retailer’s Montana, Doornpoort and Zambezi outlets would be charged.

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On 22 February, a letter was issued by a governing school in Edenvale, informing parents that if any foreign child who has incomplete documentation will be escorted by the police and the parents should fetch them at the police station. This had led to major outrage among all foreign families living in South Africa.

The Department of Home Affairs immediately took to social media addressing the situation stating that the instruction did not come from Home Affairs and that the letter must be ignored and apologised for any ‘hurt’ that may have been caused.

The Department of Basic Education has been urged by Human Rights Lawyers, to issue a Directive instructing all schools to refrain from discriminating against foreign- and even undocumented children by refusing- or charging higher fees to them. They are further requesting that the Directive should also state that the schools will assist the foreign children with obtaining the necessary documents.

The rights of children within South Africa clearly states –

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The salary cap for The Department of Home Affairs and the Parliament had been requested to be reconsidered, but is still set out to remain in play until 2019.

Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan emphasized in his ‘2017 Budget Estimate Expenditure’ that, regardless of the R34 million for the Immigration Affairs programme and R51 million for the advanced processing system, the department will need to be satisfied with the ‘compensation ceiling’.

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A recent media briefing, after a meeting between Malusi Gigaba, South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, and industry stakeholders including the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA) has raised some concerns in the hospitality and tourism industry.

There has been reference to a requirement for all businesses in the South Africa to employ a minimum of 60% South African citizens. However, this requirement, a provision in the Immigration Act and Regulations, only applies when a foreigner makes application to the Department of Home Affairs for a business visa with the intention of starting or investing in a business in the country.

One of the conditions attached to the business visa is that the applicant undertakes to employ not less than 60% South Africans including permanent residents within a period of 12 months from the date of issue of the visa. There is currently no provision in South African labour legislation that makes reference to the employment of a minimum of 60% South Africans.

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