Welcome to SA: The country is back in business for global tourism

Daily Maverick  - 03 July 2022

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Mass tourism is not a good thing: ask Venice and Amsterdam. Air BnB has pushed locals out of central Paris. Villages in southwest England are overrun in summer and dead in winter. Holiday flats that stand empty for most of the year do not add much to the local economy, but they do push up house prices. The tsunami that killed thousands was so deadly partly because protectice mangrove forests had been destroyed to create resorts for tourists. All tnose tourists to Thailand and yet most people are quite poor: so not a clear correlation at all.

Something to ponder in the context of promoting the use of “tourist” facilities.

We live in the winelands. Yesterday my wife, son and I tried to access Kirstenbosch Gardens in Cape Town. Because we intended walking on the mountain in addition to visiting the gardens we were not carrying anything of value. As we did not have our South African IDs we were told that we would have to pay the ridiculous sum of R210 each, as foreigners, rather than the (still expensive) R90 charged to locals. There was no way that I was paying R630 to walk in Kirstenbosch so we went elsewhere for coffee and cake after our intended (but failed) walk.

Consider that anyone wishing to visit the eateries in the gardens must pay these ridiculous entry prices in addition to the high and recently increased cost of their food. What a great pity that the people making these decisions cannot see the destructive effects of their thinking.

Needless to say, the less well off members of our community are effectively barred from using a public space that should be reasonably accessible to all. The gardens are not the “property” of some exclusive group and the City should be speaking up

www.samigration.com

Huge blow to foreigners – No second chance for Asylum seekers as government tightens laws 

Pretoria News -  – 03 July 2022

Foreign nationals whose applications for asylum in South Africa were rejected do not automatically have the right in law to reapply.

If they do, this will allow for a never-ending cycle of asylum applications, according to a judgment by the Western Cape High Court.

This followed an application by three Burundian nationals who applied for asylum in South Africa.

Their applications were rejected as being manifestly unfounded in terms of the Refugees Act.

The refusal was automatically reviewed by the Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs, which confirmed the finding.

The women subsequently turned to court to obtain an order directing Home Affairs and its various arms dealing with asylum issues, to accept a second asylum seeker application made by each of them.

Their main objective to remain in South Africa was because they wanted to study and work here, while one of the women said she came here “to find her husband”.

According to them, the act makes provision for foreign nationals to reapply for refugee status after their first application has been turned down.

Each of them earlier applied for asylum status in South Africa, but their applications were turned down, as their reasons for wanting to stay in South Africa were said to be unfounded.

In terms of the Refugee Act, a person qualifies for refugee status if it is proven that their lives would be in danger if they were to be sent back to their country of origin.

But in this case, home affairs officials noted that peaceful elections were held in Burundi in 2020 and many Burundian refugees had voluntarily returned home, so the women were not in danger if they went back.

The women accepted the rejection of their first asylum applications and did not take it on review. But they said that they were entitled, in terms of the law, to reapply.

Judge Hayley Slingers said the women were told to leave the country when their asylum applications were turned down in 2014, yet they chose to remain illegally in the country.

They now wanted the court to force Home Affairs to accept their second application.

They want to base the second application on allegations that their lives would indeed be in danger if they were forced to return to Burundi due to the government there.

According to them, the act is “an open system designed for vulnerable people to apply for asylum”.

They also argued that their interpretation of the act is that it does not matter how any times someone applied for asylum status after being refused, and that while the application is pending, they may not be kicked out of the country.

But Judge Slingers said this interpretation is problematic, as it would mean an asylum seeker could keep on submitting applications if the previous ones were refused, while remaining in South Africa all the time.

“There would then be no need to be granted asylum as the asylum seeker need only continuously apply for asylum, to be granted the right to stay in the RSA.”

The judge turned down their application and said the act did not automatically give asylum seekers the right to reapply.

She said when their asylum applications were refused and this was confirmed by the committee, they reverted to the status of being illegally in the country.

South Africa is set for visa changes as demand for International travel increases

ECR 03 July 2022

Heavy visa restrictions are now a thing of the past. 

South Africa has seen many of it's Covid-19 restrictions eased, opening up many tight restrictions that were previously already put in place.  

According to BusinessTech, the opening of international borders, the resumption of international flights and a high vaccination rate has contributed to the increase in outbound travel for South Africans. 

VFS Global, the world’s largest visa outsourcing and technology service specialist, has reported an increase in visa applications from South Africa over the last six months. 

Travel destinations like Australia, Canada and Schengen regions are all seeing a positive incline in applications for international travel. 

Some countries accept visa applications up to 90 days before the date of travel. 

 International flight well underway for SA citizens.

So be sure to book your Visa way in advance to avoid any complications or long queues. 

You will need your identification card as well as several other documents when applying for a visa.

www.samigration.com

Here is the Zimbabwean Owner of Park Station Office where Fake SA Documents are Produced

Twitter – 03 July 2022

When South Africans cry out over unlawful activities often carried out by immigrants in the country, many individuals term them as being xenophobic and unwelcoming towards immigrants in our nation.

The call for the deportation of illegal immigrants being made by South Africans is a genuine one even though the approach might be wrong. Our country has gradually deteriorated to a level that anything can go whether legal or illegal, but we must commend our security operatives for putting in their best to ensure that the country is still inhabitable for citizens.

Meanwhile, it is no longer new that a particular office was raided in Park Station yesterday where mini Home Affairs operations is being carried out. The owner of the place actually engages in manufacturing of fake South African document ranging from SA business permit, South African passport, Visa stamping, residents permit and so on.

However, the picture of the office owner has surfaced online and I think its necessary to bring it to my wonderful readers to see. Before then, it is pertinent to note that he is a Zimbabwean who has issued thousands of fake documents to illegal immigrants to enable them live and work in the country.

He uses illegal stamp in authenticating the documents.

www.samigration.com

South African Permanent Residence

South Africa encourages permanent residency if you are serious about staying in South Africa on a long terms permanent basis there are many categories you can apply under.

• Hold a General Work Visa for five years and have a permanent job offer.
• Hold a Relative’s Visa sponsored by an immediate family member.
• Hold a Critical Skills Visa and have 5 years relevant work experience.
• Be in a proven life partner relationship for five years
• Be married to an SA Spouse for at least five years.
• Have held Refugee Asylum Status for five years.
• Hold a Business Visa.
• Receive a monthly income of R37,000 through Pension or Retirement Annuity
• Have a net asset worth of R12m and payment to Home Affairs of R120,000

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