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Shortly after taking office in January, US President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day pause on foreign aid. - and asylum seekers in South Africa have received notices from the United States terminating their funding. - This comes after US President Donald Trump initially ordered a 90-day pause in foreign aid in January. - A human rights lawyer has said the cessation of this sort of funding will have a devastating impact. Just weeks after the United States invited Afrikaners to become refugees, the US Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration has cut off funding to civil society organisations providing services to refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa. Shortly after taking office in January, US President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day pause on foreign aid. A month later, and despite pending litigation, the Trump administration has started terminating most US foreign aid contracts and grants, Reuters reported. Organisations in South Africa that provide services to assist refugees and asylum seekers who migrated to the southern tip of Africa have not been spared. Refugee Social Services (RSS) and Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town confirmed to News24 that they received letters on Wednesday notifying them that funding from the US Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration had been terminated. "This award is being terminated for the convenience of the US government, pursuant to a directive from US Secretary of State Mario Rubio, for aligning with agenda priorities and national interest," the letter read. "The decision to terminate this individual award is a policy determination vested in the secretary of state." The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told News24 that it was aware of reports that some organisations in South Africa had received notifications regarding the cessation of US funding. The UNHCR, which has also been impacted by the 90-day pause in US funding, said its biggest concern was the well-being and safety of the millions of refugees and forcibly displaced people worldwide. "Every day that this financial uncertainty continues will increase the impact on the lives of the millions of people that have fled their homes to find security." Helping the vulnerable Yasmin Rajah, director of the KwaZulu-Natal-based RSS, said the organisation had relied on the US for a grant to provide services for vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers. She said these particularly vulnerable migrants include the elderly, people with disabilities and those suffering from terminal illnesses who have limited support networks with no one to look after them. The services offered included counselling, safe spaces, and a small amount of money to cover medication, transportation to medical facilities, food, and housing. Following the cessation of the grant, Rajah said the RSS would have to consider retrenchments. She said the organisation was also scrambling to work out a way to continue caring for this vulnerable group of migrants. With the greatest concern being hunger, Rajah said RSS had reached out to faith-based organisations to provide food parcels to fill the gap, but this had not been nearly enough. She told News24: We didn't have enough notice to sort things out. Despite this, Rajah said the organisation was grateful for the support it received from the US as it had filled a "very significant gap". Devastating Jacob van Garderen, human rights lawyer and director at Public Interest Practice, told News24 that the impact of the funding cuts would be devastating. However, he said, perhaps less so in South Africa, where refugees and asylum seekers are not entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance for their survival, as the government allows integration so that migrants can get work and don't have to live in camps. "But still, organisations like Scalabrini and RSS, who deliver essential support to migrant communities, will [suffer] a severe impact on their work and support of services of these communities, [which] is always focused on the most at risk and vulnerable communities, such as children, women at risk, disabled migrants, etc," Van Garderen said. He said very few of these organisations, if any, would have the reserves to continue the work unabated. Internationally, the big concern is not just that the US government has done it (cut funding), but more the way in which they have done it, without prior notice or transition. He said it was difficult to escape the conclusion that the funding cut was meant to punish and decimate a humanitarian infrastructure. 'It's cruel. It is not what you would have expected from the US, [which], for all its criticisms, has established itself as the largest donor of support to humanitarian action globally." Afrikaner refugee The decision to cut aid to these organisations helping refugees and asylum seekers comes less than a month after an executive order by Trump, potentially offering Afrikaners refugee resettlement in the US. In his 7 February executive order, Trump also authorised the secretary of state and the secretary of homeland security to take "appropriate steps" to prioritise "humanitarian relief", including "admission and resettlement through the United States Refugee Admissions Programme, for Afrikaners in South Africa who are victims of unjust racial discrimination". However, on 20 January, Trump signed another order suspending all applications for refugee status until the homeland security advisor submits a report regarding whether the resumption of refugees' entry into the US would be in the interests of the Western powerhouse. |
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On Friday, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber confirmed in an X post that Percy Tshabane, the department's acting chief of director of employee engagement, had been suspended pending a thorough investigation into allegations that he solicited bribes to approve the payment of service providers. The official in question has been suspended and a full investigation is underway. Home affairs minister Leon Schreiber on Friday confirmed that Percy Tshabane has been suspended pending a thorough investigation. Noko Mashilo/Daily Sun City Press reported on 9 February that one lawyer, who identified himself as Mareng Mareng, had alleged that lawyers were being frustrated by the department's chief director responsible for legal. The lawyer also sent a whistleblower complaint to Schreiber's office, Parliament and the Public Service Commission. Two sources privy to the details revealed that shortly after the publication of the story, Schreiber appointed the law firm, Werkmans, to investigate the allegations. The source said: The lawyers found evidence in the form of a bank deposit and questioned Tshabane, who admitted that he did receive the money from the complaining lawyer. However, he said the lawyer was his brother and there was nothing untoward with him asking for financial help. On Monday, the law firm recommended that he be suspended, and he was on Tuesday. In one text message, purportedly from Tshabane to a lawyer, he asked: Are you winning? I only managed to get R2 000 and [I] am short of R3 000. Another lawyer told City Press that the chief director once asked for R5 000 for rent and, because they were owed more than R500 000, he gave him R10 000. According to the lawyer, Tshabane used various means to collect money from the service providers, including deposits into his bank account and cash drop-offs at his office. A senior official in the department of home affairs, who allegedly demanded kickbacks from service providers to approve their invoices, has been suspended. Noko Mashilo/Daily Sun In his earlier response, Tshabane told City Press that he was on leave from 17 December 2024 until 20 January 2025. He added: “Surprisingly, I received a call while on leave from an employee of one of the service providers who said he understood that I was holding on payments and they would not be paid. He mentioned to me a lot of things that were said and I indicated to him that we would only pay in April 2025.” Tshabane said that, on his return, he arranged an official meeting with the service providers in the office to explain what was delaying their payments, which they understood. He added that, since the legal fraternity was a highly regulated environment, he found it perplexing that the allegations were levelled against him. He said, if there were unreasonable delays or he was soliciting bribes, service providers could invoke a clause dealing with dispute resolution in the service level agreement or escalate it to higher authorities. He said: To this end, I deny having requested money from a service provider. I do not rule out being name-dropped by others when facing pressure from the service providers just to ward them off that the invoices are with Tshabane. Tshabane said he previously received an enquiry from a person purporting to be a journalist, with a foreign accent. "I suspect collusion as we are operating in a highly syndicated environment and any number can be ported." He denied ever sending messages to service providers and said the aggrieved parties should approach the counter-corruption and law enforcement agencies for further investigations. Tshabane could not be reached for comment this week as his phone rang unanswered. The department said the matter was internal and could not be discussed in the media. |
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Liphoko’s ordeal began in 2003 when he was in Grade 10 in Botshabelo and applied for an identity document (ID) both privately and through his school. Despite repeated applications, he never received his ID before matriculating in 2006, which prevented him from pursuing tertiary education. “My birth certificate was an old handwritten one with just my birth date. I applied in Botshabelo and Welkom, where my family lives, but nothing happened,” said Liphoko. He was later advised to apply in Brandfort, his place of birth, yet still had no success. With no ID, he had to abandon his dreams of becoming a medical doctor and take on informal jobs. Liphoko eventually received his ID in 2007. However, another challenge arose in 2009 when his family attempted to amend their surname to his father’s. While his parents and siblings successfully changed theirs, Liphoko’s surname remained unchanged. “We asked why, and they said they did not know,” he explained. Now, 15 years later, Vuyo is still trying to rectify this issue. In 2023, he applied again at Home Affairs in Bloemfontein, submitting all required documents. “They told me I would receive an SMS or phone call. I received neither,” he said. When he followed up, officials claimed there were no records of him. After being sent from one official to another, Liphoko was eventually directed to Brandfort’s records office in Bultfontein, where he discovered missing pages in the record books. “I am now at a point where I cannot get married. My children do not have my surname,” he said. “My father has even passed on without me having his surname.” Despite these challenges and the endless back-and-forth, Liphoko is hoping for a positive outcome. “I want to know if someone sold my identity or if there’s any foul play on the department’s side. I want that person to be held accountable, and I want the Department of Home Affairs to be held accountable because I’m not responsible for writing my own name in the child registration unit - neither are my parents. There were people assigned to do a specific job, and they failed to do it,” he said. When approached for comment, Home Affairs spokesperson Siya Qoza stated that he received a message indicating that the matter had been resolved and is currently verifying how it was addressed before providing further details. Liphoko has confirmed that the department contacted him, but both he and Bloemfontein Courant are still waiting for clarity on the outcome and how the matter was resolved. |
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In his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on 6 February 2025, President Ramaphosa highlighted the importance of investing in digital public infrastructure. He announced plans to implement a digital identity system within the next 12 months to eliminate identity fraud, expand social and financial inclusion, and ensure seamless access to government services. The President also mentioned the launch of a modern Electronic Travel Authorisation system, driven by artificial intelligence, to automate tourist and short-stay visas. Minister Schreiber expressed his gratitude for the President’s support, stating, “As the custodian of all identity, civics, and immigration services, Home Affairs is the linchpin for the digital transformation of government. Our five-year vision to deliver Home Affairs @ home, as announced in September last year, is built entirely around the digitalisation and automation of all services and processes, in alignment with the President’s announcement.” The Home Affairs @ home initiative envisions a future where citizens no longer need to visit physical offices for routine services. Instead, services such as applying for IDs, passports, and certificates will be fully automated and accessible online through a secure platform linked to individuals’ unique biometrics. This approach mirrors systems already in use by banks and the South African Revenue Service (SARS). The department’s digital transformation is not only about convenience but also about enhancing security and efficiency. A secure digital system will flag fraudulent documents faster and more effectively than human eyes ever could, while also delivering outcomes to legitimate applicants in the blink of an eye. It will close all processes off to human intervention, from beginning to end, so that no one can pick up a paper file and demand a bribe in exchange for processing it. The implementation of a digital identity system is a collaborative effort between SARS, the South African Reserve Bank, and the Department of Home Affairs. This system aims to provide every citizen with a single, unique digital identifier, streamlining interactions with various government services and reducing opportunities for fraud. The move towards digital identities is part of a broader trend across Africa, with many governments recognising the benefits of such systems in improving service delivery and promoting inclusive economic growth. However, challenges such as data privacy, security, and ensuring universal accessibility remain. South Africa’s approach aims to address these concerns by implementing robust safeguards and ensuring that the digital transformation benefits all citizens. |
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A video showing irate members of the public has since gone viral on social media, wherein a security guard is seen waving a pepper spray as he demands members of the public to go outside. This occurred as frustrations came to a head at the Home Affairs Randburg branch when the system went offline, causing undue frustration for the members of the public. Taking to X, Schreiber said he was horrified when he learnt about the video on Thursday morning and that action had since been taken against the security guard involved. “I was appalled upon receiving this video at 10:50 this morning. An investigation was launched immediately, and by 17:00 the individual in question was removed. “On behalf of #TeamHomeAffairs, I apologise to all clients affected,” said the minister on X. He said upon further investigation, he conceded there were IT-related challenges at the Randburg branch. “Upon investigation, the deeper problem at this office - as with most other challenges at Home Affairs - are related to IT. “This affirms the urgency of digital transformation, so that our services become accessible in more locations and over the internet to reduce the need for anyone to stand in queues,” he said. I was appalled upon receiving this video at 10:50 this morning. An investigation was launched immediately, and by 17:00 the individual in question was removed. On behalf of #TeamHomeAffairs, I apologise to all clients affected. Meanwhile, other frustrated residents have reported that they have been turned away on three consecutive occasions from the same branch due to the IT issues and the system being constantly offline. One user took to X to relay their frustration. “This is our third visit to Home Affairs Randburg where we have been refused service and told to leave. I desperately need to renew my passport, and the website says no bookings required for online renewals. They made me sit outside in the dirt the entire day to be told they can’t help,” said Tammi on X. |
