A smuggler maps out how he gets undocumented immigrants into SA

City Press – 18 January 2023

Thulani Mujuru* became a transporter of both goods and immigrants, documented or undocumented, across the Beitbridge Border Post.

He realised that he could assist his fellow Zimbabweans seeking access to South Africa – but who did not have the required documents to do so – to live their dream of working in the rainbow nation.

Speaking to City Press in the Johannesburg CBD, the self-proclaimed entrepreneur opened up about how his business of assisting undocumented immigrants cross the border had given him access to the money he never had, which he was “willing to take risks for”.

The Zimbabwe national shared:

From Zimbabwe to South Africa, I charge R2 000 per person. That R2000 includes the crossing fees charged by law enforcement and officials who must be bribed at different points of the journey.

The 38-year-old explained that while he received customers through word of mouth with bookings made telephonically, he relied a great deal on border-jumping guides called Impisi, who know which routes are safe to travel on, and on which days and at which times the routes have police or soldiers patrolling them. This helps to ensure his “customers” successfully gain entry into South Africa.

He told City Press:

The customer gives me R2 000. I then arrange with Impisi, who I pay R300 or R350 per person and he is the one who guides my customers, taking them from the beginning of the journey until I meet up with them in South Africa, and they have successfully evaded any obstacles.

Mujuru told City Press that there were usually three possible routes illegal immigrants could use when embarking on their illicit journey, explaining that each of these three “safer” routes required payments to those with the necessary powers to either grant or deny the desperate immigrants entry into South Africa.

“The safari lodge route – where people will travel through the Limpopo River; the new bridge route – which connects South Africa and Zimbabwe; and the old bridge route with the railway line – the Alfred Beit Road Bridge.”

He said each of these routes had various points “where police, soldiers or security officials had to be paid, adding that some migrants who cannot or want to avoid paying bribes in cash opt to cross the river”.

Mujuru clarified: 

Everything starts on the Zimbabwean side of the border at two specific garages, right at the Beitbridge border – either the Caltex or Engen garage – where people who need to cross the border, illegally or legally, meet me, for instance, as their transporter.

“Those who cross illegally and I then meet our Impisi for that day at a certain point of the Limpopo River. The Impisi tells us which route we will be using, and I give him his money.”

The routes

According to the transporter, the way things are done varies from trip to trip:

Sometimes I as a driver could decide to go with my people the illegal way to keep an eye on them and a second driver will wait for us on the South African side, or I will be the one who legally enters South Africa using my passport and then wait at the Shell garage on the South African side.

Asked about which Shell garage he was referring to, Mujuru answered: “There is only one, just after the border.”

The first point, which is still on the Zimbabwe side, will have soldiers, police and maybe security officials. That is at the river, where one’s journey will begin.

“The Impisi negotiates payment to these law enforcers to be allowed to continue with their journey with those crossing the border illegally. Most of the time, the Impisi will be charged R100 per person, which I give to him to give to law enforcement officials.”

“Once that R100 is paid, the journey continues. There is always a possibility of finding unexpected police who we will need to bribe, so the journey is unpredictable. But with each step, we part with something,” Mujuru said, adding that he tried to ensure that he “did at least four trips a week for the money”.

Migrants travelling from Zimbabwe use this botched border fence to enter South Africa. The fence cost taxpayers R37-Million:

He explained that should the safari lodge route be used to enter South Africa, those making the trip would travel across the Limpopo River on makeshift pontoons made from tubes and poles and would have to pay extra to those steering the pontoons.

Once this amount is paid, migrants and their goods are shipped until they reach the South African side of the river, where they will have to make their way through a veld.

Mujuru explained:

In all instances, customers will then make their way through the bushes on the South African side with the intention of safely reaching the Shell garage, which is before Musina, and meet their transporter there.

The transporter and his customers will then begin the unpredictable journey into the “heart of Johannesburg”.

According to Mujuru, throughout this journey, he and his customers could be stopped by police “who we then have to pay them so they let us go”.

“The drive takes over five hours because we might get stopped a lot.”

What experts and officials say 

According to immigration specialist at Webber Wentzel Bianca Rutherfoord-Jones, South African border officials have a difficult job monitoring foreign nationals wishing to enter the country.

“The borders at our neighbouring countries are currently an issue and we have seen that the minister of the department of home affairs is attempting to tighten the borders and root out corruption at the borders,” Rutherfoord-Jones told City Press.

“The home affairs minister has spoken out about corruption in the department and we consider this to be a major weakness in addressing the issue of foreign nationals entering and remaining in the country illegally.”

Meanwhile, spokesperson for the minister of home affairs Siya Qoza told City Press that for the 2021/22 financial year, the Maseru, Lebombo and Beitbridge ports of entry recorded the highest number of deportations, respectively.

Mujuru said: 

I don’t think people are scared of crossing the border illegally because money is what talks. People know that those officials are hungry for money. So, you bring the money, and off you go.

How much is it worth?

While Mujuru charges R2 000 per person for illegal entry into South Africa, he explained that he was left with less than half of that at the end of each trip:

What I am left with by the time I reach my destination is probably about R500. It’s not worth it, but I have no option. This is a chance I have to take because it is better than nothing.

“Six years ago, when I started, I charged R1 500. So there has been an increase of R500 in six years and the only reason there was an increase was because of Covid-19. Many of us do this and the more you charge, the more customers will approach others who offer the same service. The competition is high.”

www.samigration.com

Foreigners are paying over R20 million to knock down bungalows in Cape Town

Businesstech | 15 January 2023

The demand for residential property in Cape Town is still underway despite holidaymakers heading home, says Basil Moraitis, regional manager for Pam Golding Properties in the Western Cape.

“We’ve experienced a busy festive trading season on the Atlantic Seaboard with sales to the value of R200 million concluded during December (2022) alone, including high-end sales from R20 million upwards.”

“The lifestyle and natural scenic beauty of Cape Town, particularly the prime Atlantic Seaboard coastal strip between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean, resonates with home buyers around the country and globally.”

Moraitis said that the post-pandemic market had been driven mainly by primary homebuyers and international buyers looking for a place in the sun during the Northern European winter.

The area is starting to see investors returning to the market and looking at hospitality products for Airbnb as stock levels reach their lowest point in a decade.

He said that high-end buyers of luxury homes in the price bracket north of R20 million are active in the area.

Given its prime location, world-class homes and exceptional lifestyle, the Atlantic Seaboard consistently attracts a high proportion of cash buyers – not surprising due to its appeal for a more well-resourced, affluent buyer demographic, added the regional manager.

The topography of many prime areas of the Atlantic Seaboard is located in a narrow bank of steep sites, increasing the value of the properties purely due to land scarcity.

“It, therefore, follows that the feasibility of developing and selling these properties depends on buyers with cash resources who choose to invest in unique luxury or trophy properties offering spectacular views and the lifestyle that goes with it.”

“This is why this segment has always drawn international and upcountry buyers with cash – and increasingly of late, German buyers.”

“Covid has turbo-charged this trend with people wanting to live their best lives now and in the place that makes them happiest.”

Moraitis added that international buyers see the value offered by the area’s properties as significant alongside offering a compelling lifestyle.

Pam Golding listed the following areas as those that have seen substantial interest:

• Camps Bay
• Clifton
• Green Point
• Cape Metro
• Constantia

Camps Bay properties have also seen an increase in interest, said the regional manager.

“The Clifton bungalows are again very much in demand by upcountry buyers looking for a specific and unique lifestyle offering.”

The entry-level price for a bungalow is currently R20 million for a knockdown. “We have recently sold two such bungalows on Fourth Beach, both of which are to be demolished for new state-of-the-art homes,” said Moraitis.

Beyond large stately homes, luxury apartments are also very much in demand, with convenience and centrality to the main city as a top selling point.

The region of Green Point is also very much in demand, with its convenient location close to the central city and main arterial routes in and out of the Atlantic Seaboard, making it a firm favourite for families and professionals.

In Green Point, the price points from around R2 million up to R20 million make it easier to get into this market, said Moraitis.

Holiday rentals in the Cape Metro have also soared, said Arno de Wit, Pam Golding Properties rentals manager for the area.

“We experienced a boom in holiday rentals over the festive season as local and international visitors returned in their thousands. We concluded several holiday lets over December with five of our most recent including:

• Seven-bedroom villa in Constantia let at R30,000 per night x 17 nights
• Four-bedroom house in Green Point let at R135,000 per month for a three-month lease period
• Four-bedroom villa in Camps Bay let at R25,000 per night x 10 nights
• Four-bedroom villa in Camps Bay let at R15,000 per night x 11 nights
• Three-bedroom house in Silvermist Estate in Hout Bay let at R8,000 per night for seven nights.”

Among long-term rentals, according to Pam Golding Properties, it recently let a five-bedroom home in Claremont Upper in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs for R170 000 per month, while their highest asking rental currently available is R290,000 per month for a 10-bedroom home in Constantia

www.samigration.com

City of Cape Town tourism industry recovers to pre-pandemic levels: Vos

18 January 2023 - @SABCNews

The City of Cape Town says tourism to the city has recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, James Vos, says Cape Town International Airport reported a recovery of 72% in domestic visitors and 98% in international visitors last year compared to the December 2019 festive period.

Vos says this has been a great boost to the municipality’s economy. Vos says they will now continue focusing on the City’s Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy which aims to expand on the city’s existing economic growth policies around investment, small business development and workforce expansion initiatives.

“Our focus will be on business retention and expansion, especially in the industries of green energy, manufacturing, tourism, financial services and business process outsourcing. As well as the development of the informal traders’ sector through our support programmes, workforce development.”

www.samigration.com

Life in SA through the lens of a Zimbabwean 

City Press – 18 January  2023

For 12 years, Zimbabwean Martha Muhamba* has had to find a way to ensure that she remains in South Africa because, when she moved to the country in 2010, her mission was to "find work, make money" and send her child "to a decent school".

While Muhamba has been able to find employment since her first year in South Africa, the 42-year-old tells City Press that she has never been in possession of a work permit and the only documentation she has is her Zimbabwean passport – which she has managed to keep valid with border post stamps, even though she has not left South Africa for more than a decade.

The mother of two explained: 

I give my passport to bus or taxi drivers who travel between South Africa and Zimbabwe and when they get to the border, they present the passport where it is stamped for it to go to Zimbabwe and, on their return, it is stamped again for it to slip back into South Africa, giving me another three or six months in South Africa each time.

She tells City Press that she forks out between R400 and R500 for this service.

The spokesperson for the minister of the department of home affairs, Siyabulela Qoza, tells City Press that, while Muhamba's passport is still valid and allows her to be in South Africa, as she has been able to acquire a stamp at the border, and any person owning such a stamp is in the country illegally.

However, Muhamba said this was worth it, adding: "I came here seeking employment because back home in Zimbabwe, things had reached a stage beyond deterioration.

"There are no jobs. There is no money and no life in general. Things were terrible when I made the decision to come to South Africa and I could not just sit and do nothing."

At the time, Muhamba had one child and her mother to take care of.

She emphasised: 

I came [to South Africa] to survive and feed my family.

She told City Press that, while the passport she had used to enter South Africa in 2010 had expired in 2013, she had been able to renew it at the Consulate of the Republic of Zimbabwe in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, with her new passport set to expire "after 10 years or so".

Living in fear

Muhamba, who is employed by a cleaning company in Sandton, said that, while she was grateful for the job she had, life in South Africa had not been smooth sailing, as she constantly lived in fear and had been discriminated against because she was a foreign national.

Difficulty accessing healthcare and education for her son, threats to her life and being underpaid compared with her South African counterparts are just some of the struggles Muhamba says she has had to grapple with.

She shared with City Press how, after months of searching for employment on her arrival in South Africa, she was subsequently hired as a domestic worker.

"Before my employment, they asked me if I had the proper documentation and I told them I had a passport. They then told me how much they could pay me and that was a lot and it was better than nothing," she said.

"I was paid R1 000 for the first three months, but, after that, I began experiencing problems. They started giving me less money every month and it continued to decrease over time with no explanation."

Job conditions

"I started looking for another job and, after a month of searching, I was hired at Pep Stores as a cleaner. They then found out that I did not have a work permit and they fired me."

Muhamba expressed how not being able to obtain a work permit or acquire South African citizenship has left her in the trenches, unable to climb out to "credible and better-paying employment".

"I tried applying for a permit in 2017, but, when I went to home affairs, I was told that Zimbabweans were no longer allowed to apply for work permits.

"The reason I was only able to do this in 2017 was that I needed about R1 000, I think, to be able to acquire it. I know this amount might not seem like a lot of money to a lot of people, but to a foreigner who had nothing, this was an amount I could not afford.

As a foreign national without proper documentation, finding a proper job is difficult and I will always take whatever work I am offered, just to survive.

"I currently work at a place where my colleagues are South African and there is a clear distinction, not just in terms of our salaries – where I am paid much less than my counterparts – but also in terms of how South Africans are given preferential treatment in terms of time off and sick leave, while I am unable to take it, for instance.

"I now earn R3 000 per month."

Qoza explained that South Africa had at least four identifiable ways of getting citizenship.

"The first one is in terms of the Citizenship Act of 1995 where, regardless of where you were born, if both or any one of your parents is a South African, then you are a South African citizen. This includes adopted children," he told City Press.

"The second can be acquired through various routes in the immigration process. For instance, acquiring permanent residence through a particular visa and then qualifying to apply for citizenship." 

He said another way of getting citizenship was by naturalisation through merit: "This is when a country values something about you, be it science, culture, sport or investment."

The fourth one is by marriage to a South African citizen.

The revealing accent

Born and bred in Bulawayo, the Ndebele native said she was well aware of how her accent made her "a target for insults by South Africans" whenever she spoke in public.

I had never heard the word 'kwerekwere' – a derogatory term used to refer to foreigners – until I came to South Africa.

"I am aware that the languages spoken in South Africa are foreign to me and that would always make me very wary because, whenever I try to speak, my accent immediately alerts people that I’m a foreigner and I will be called names, but there’s nothing I can do about those insults.

"On the streets, a random person will hear you speak and, even though they do not say it to your face, they will randomly make untoward comments about 'amakwerekwere' but, because of fear, I keep quiet and don't respond. Where I am from, there are a lot of South Africans, but we never ill-treat them."

She added that this was also the case at healthcare facilities. "Even when I go to a clinic, medical practitioners would say things like 'amakwerekwere are filling up our health facilities and they should go back home', but I keep quiet, even though it hurts."

"Being in a country that is not of my origin, I’ve learnt to take it on the chin because I don’t want to lose my life."

Access to education

When her son was born in 2012, Muhamba, who has lived in Yeoville, Johannesburg, since arriving in South Africa, was ecstatic at the prospect of her second-born child accessing the country’s education system.

"I have a 10-year-old son who was born here and getting him into a school proved difficult because I do not have the necessary documentation and paperwork," Muhamba explained. "Eventually, I found a school where the principal was understanding and allowed him to enrol – even without the necessary paperwork."

Death by association

"I think the other dilemma we are faced with is that, as Zimbabweans, we are all painted with one brush.

"We hear of some of our brothers and sisters taking part in criminal activities and, because I too am Zimbabwean, I will be ostracised. This has also affected our chances of getting employment because people will immediately assume that we will steal from them just because we’re Zimbabwean."

Asked if she would consider returning to her country of origin, Muhamba told City Press that she could and would never deny her country of origin.

"The problem is, how will I survive when I get there?" she asked, drifting into deep thought.

www.samigration.com

German government seeks to ease rules for naturalization

ABC News – 18 January 2023

BERLIN -- Germany's socially liberal government is moving ahead with plans to ease the rules for obtaining citizenship in the European Union's most populous country, a drive that is being assailed by the conservative opposition.

Chancellor OIaf Scholz said in a video message Saturday that Germany has long since become “the country of hope” for many, and it's a good thing when people who have put down roots in the country decide to take citizenship. 

“Germany needs better rules for the naturalization of all these great women and men,” Scholz said.

Germany’s socially liberal government is moving ahead with plans to ease the rules for obtaining citizenship in the European Union’s most populous country, a drive that is being assailed by the conservative opposition

The overhaul of citizenship rules is one of a series of modernizing reforms that the three-party coalition of Scholz's center-left Social Democrats, the environmentalist Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats agreed to tackle when it took office last December. The Interior Ministry said on Friday that draft legislation is "as good as ready."

Last year's coalition agreement calls for people to be eligible for German citizenship after five years, or three in case of “special integration accomplishments,” rather than eight or six years at present. German-born children would automatically become citizens if one parent has been a legal resident for five years.

The government also wants to drop restrictions on holding dual citizenship. In principle, most people from countries other than European Union members and Switzerland currently have to give up their previous nationality when they gain German citizenship, though there are some exemptions.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser argued that reducing the waiting time to be eligible for citizenship is “an incentive for integration.” 

The aim is to reflect reality, she said Friday. “We are a diverse, modern country of immigration, and I think legislation must reflect that.”

Official statistics show that about 131,600 people took German citizenship last year, a quarter of them citizens of other EU countries. The number was 20% higher than the previous year, in part because an increasing number of Syrians were naturalized. Germany's total population is around 84 million.

The main center-right opposition Union bloc rejects the plans to liberalize naturalization laws. 

“Selling off German citizenship cheap doesn't encourage integration — it aims for exactly the opposite and will trigger additional ‘pull effects’ for illegal migration,” senior conservative lawmaker Alexander Dobrindt told Saturday's edition of the Bild daily. 

“Five years is a very, very short time” for people to be eligible for citizenship, Union chief whip Thorsten Frei told ZDF television.

Among other liberalizing plans, the government has removed from Germany’s criminal code a ban on doctors “advertising” abortion services. It has reduced the minimum age for voting in European Parliament elections from 18 to 16 and wants to do the same for national elections.

It also wants to scrap 40-year-old legislation that requires transsexual people to get a psychological assessment and a court decision before officially changing gender, and replace that with a new “self-determination law.” And it aims to decriminalize the possession of limited quantities of cannabis and allow its sale to adults for recreational purposes in a controlled market.

Some of the plans may run into difficulty in parliament's upper house, which represents Germany's 16 state governments and where Scholz's coalition doesn't control a majority. It had to water down elements of an overhaul of unemployment benefits to get that passed this week.

www.samigration.com