Automobile Association partners with VFS Global to make it easier for travellers to access international driving permits

 IOL | 29 Nov 2022

VFS Global has introduced the IDP application service at its visa centres in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban. 

Durban - The Automobile Association (AA) said that they have partnered with VFS Global, and overseas travellers will now be able obtain their international driving permits (IDPs) through any one of four VFS Global application centres in South Africa. 

VFS Global introduced the IDP application service in September at its visa centres in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban.

The AA said IDP applications will be managed by VFS Global on its behalf as it is the only authorised issuer of IDPs in South Africa. IDPs are regulated by the UN. 

An IDP allows eligible applicants, with a South African driver’s licence, to drive vehicles in foreign countries. In addition, IDPs are another form of identification and are valid in more than 150 countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa head at VFS Global Hariprasad Viswanathan said that with the roll-out of IDPs at their application centres across four key cities in South Africa, they were confident of providing applicants with a world-class service experience by leveraging off their global experience of providing transparent and scalable solutions in the citizens service space. 

“Since 2007, VFS Global has supported the economic growth and development of South Africa through our strong workforce that includes 257 nationals who support our operations daily by maintaining the highest levels of service and security.”

CEO of the AA, Willem Groenewald said that making this service available through VFS Global’s centres was a huge benefit to travellers. 

“Many people require an IDP when they’re abroad, but they aren’t always aware of how to obtain these or where. Introducing this service through VFS Global centres will make that a lot easier and provide additional comfort to travellers knowing they’ve obtained all the necessary documents to drive in a foreign country. The added advantage of an IDP is that it is another form of identification for travellers, which is always handy. We’re delighted to partner with VFS Global on this initiative, which will ultimately benefit travellers.”

“The AA can only issue IDPs to holders of a valid South African-issued driving licence. An IDP can only be obtained from the country of origin of a driving licence,” Groenewald explained.

Groenewald said that the AA cannot issue an IDP to citizens of Botswana, Lesotho or Swaziland who are in the possession of a valid driving licence issued in that country, but it can issue an IDP to citizens of Namibia who are in the possession of a valid Namibian driving licence. 

“Citizens in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria can visit the VFS Global application centres in these cities to apply for their IDPs. A dedicated contact centre (012 425 3058) and email support (VFSIDP@vfshelpline.com) service are also available for customers to answer queries and track the status of an application.”

www.samigration.com

Two foreign nationals arrested for allegedly bribing an inspector from the Department of Labour

IOL News | 29 Nov 2022

It ended in handcuffs for two brothers who are foreign nationals after they allegedly bribed an Inspector from the Department of Labour with R4500. In the update that was issued by IOL news, it was alleged that the two brothers tried to bribe the official with R4500 in order for him not to issue a compliance order against their shop .

As a result of the act, the Hawks allegedly arrested the two foreign nationals for the act. As a result of the offence and the eventual arrest, the two brothers were expected to make their appearance in the Middelburg Magistrate's Court facing corruption charges in accordance with the IOL news.

It was alleged that the two approached the Inspector from the Department of Labour in an effort to make him not to issue a non-compliance order against the church. Furthermore, it was pointed out that a transfer of R4500 was made to the personal bank account of the official . The official informed police about what had happened, leading to the arrest of the two brothers on the 26th of November 2022.

This behaviour by the Inspector from the Department of Labour is exceptional and it is how some government officials should conduct themselves. The inspector led by example and did not let greed get the better of him. He stuck to doing what was right and it paid off . Respect has been earned by the official , and his act will go a long way towards serving as an example to some who may find themselves in a similar position. It is now up the courts to convict and sentence the culprits to jail, so that corruption comes to an end in South Africa.

www.samigration.com

British Citizenship: British Nationality Law Changes

The South African |  29 Nov 2022

The new British Nationality & Borders Bill will be good news for people who can qualify for British Citizenship under the new rules. 

SA Migration is delighted to inform clients that we are one step closer to the British Nationality and Borders Bill being passed. These changes will bode good news for many persons who can qualify for British Citizenship under the new nationality rules, who did not qualify under the old rules. The new routes to British Citizenship will be called special cases.

Home Office caseworkers will determine all applications as per the Home Office Guidance. In certain instances, the Home Office will have a very broad discretion to register minor children as British Citizens. The Bill will also give power to the Home Office to register adults as British Citizens for the so-called “historical legislative unfairness”, an act or omission of a public authority, or other “exceptional circumstances”. 

All of these registration applications will be subject to the good character test. 

Removing Discriminatory Aspects

The so-called Romein case has identified many discriminatory aspects in respect of Nationality laws, being:

• Children born outside the citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies Territories could only transmit nationality over one generation unless they registered at a UK consulate. 

• Mothers and unmarried fathers again were deprived as they could not register then. 

Fortunately, the UK Government will amend the legislation to remove the historic registration requirement. There are three major objectives of the Bill, which are:

• To address the historic inability of mothers and unmarried fathers to transmit British Overseas Territories Citizenship leading to a possible entitlement to full British Citizenship

• Registration as a British Citizen due to historical injustice

• Discretionary waiver of residence criteria for naturalization.

 We foresee that the following persons might benefit from the Nationality and Borders Bill being:

• persons born before 1983 with a UK born maternal grandmother; 

• persons with mothers were born as British Subjects and with a UK born paternal grandfather; 

• persons born between 1983 -1987 with a UK born maternal grandmother; 

• persons born between 1983 – 1987 with a UK born paternal grandmother; 

• If you are a male, born before 1983 and married to a female British Citizen; 

• if your husband has a UK born mother and he was born before 1983;

• if your wife has a UK born mother and she was born before 1983;

• if you have a UK born mother and you were born before 1983;

• If your wife was born in the United Kingdom before 1983

www.samigration.com

Four home affairs officials bust for fake passport ring 

29  November 2022 – Sowetan 

Four home affairs officials in Tzaneen, Limpopo, have been arrested in connection with a fake passport ring.

Provincial Hawks spokesperson Cpt Matimba Maluleke said SA citizens were allegedly recruited by the officials and paid R1,000 in exchange for their details to be used on passports that would be issued to foreign nationals.

Maluleke said the administration clerks are aged between 35 and 43.  

“It is further alleged that all the processes of applying for a passport would be followed but when it comes to the photoshoot, they would call the foreign nationals to the booth. As a result, the passports would contain the particulars of South African citizens but the photos would be of illegal foreign nationals,” Maluleke said.

Maluleke said the home affairs counter corruption and security unit discovered these illegal activities in May and referred the matter to the Hawks’ serious corruption investigation team.

“During the investigations, it was revealed that the citizens whose particulars were used would be paid R1,000,” he said.

He said all four officials were expected to appear in the Tzaneen magistrate’s court on Friday while authorities were on the lookout for more suspects.

www.samigration.com

Asylum seekers face challenges with DHA's online system - Lawyers for Human Rights 

News24 – 29 November 2022

Asylum seekers are not getting the required documentation timeously, leaving them vulnerable to deportation. 

Refugee and asylum seekers face challenges with the Department of Home Affairs' online system, Lawyers for Human Rights told the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs.

• It means they don't get the required documentation timeously, leaving them vulnerable to deportation.

• Furthermore, there is a reluctance to process children, exposing them to "structural xenophobia".

Refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa have problems with the Department of Home Affairs' online system, leaving them vulnerable to deportation and their children to "structural xenophobia", Lawyers for Human Rights told Parliament.

Lindokuhle Mdabe of Lawyers for Human Rights told the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on Tuesday that they had noted several challenges since the department introduced its online system.

The system came online in April 2021, GroundUp reported previously.

Mdabe said newcomers into the country intending to apply for refugee status had to do so through the online system.

The first problem, according to Mdabe, was a lack of internet access, coupled with language barriers.

Even after they lodged their claims online, they might have to wait up to two months for an interview. This rendered them vulnerable to deportation, because they had no documentation or proof that they were legally in the country.

Often, there weren't enough translators available for interviews, and in some cases, asylum seekers had been told to arrange their own translators.

Mdabe said non-governmental organisations, like themselves, were inundated with requests to perform functions the department was supposed to do. In their case, they had to provide affidavits and ensure people complied with requirements.

Furthermore, Lawyers for Human Rights detected a reluctance from the department to process children. When parents were in the refugee or asylum seeker programme, and they wanted their children to join, the children would not be joined, despite their applications.

This leaves children – minors – without documents, which means they experienced what Mdabe called "structural xenophobia", meaning their socio-economic rights were limited because they did not have documentation.

Mdabe said they had written to schools and hospitals, informing them that these children had rights, but the practice of insisting on documents persisted. 

"We also understand this is not the fault of the refugees," he said.

He added that the department also failed to implement sections of the Immigration Act, court orders, and judgments.

ANC MP Asnath Molekwa said: "The children cannot suffer because of the parents' sins."

She said the committee should determine whether there was a programme with a timeframe to deal with those issues.

DA MP Adrian Roos said compliance with court orders and judgments seemed to be a big problem with the Department of Home Affairs. 

He said the committee needed to get a list of all the related court orders and judgments.

www.samigration.com