Johannesburg - Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in South Africa on
Wednesday ahead of a two-day summit with regional leaders as Africa
seeks further massive investment despite the Asian giant's economic
slowdown.


A slew of deals are expected to be announced for power plants,
infrastructure and agriculture projects, but analysts say Chinese
largess across the continent has already been reined in this
year.


China drove the commodity boom as it bought up oil, iron ore, uranium
and copper around the world over the past decade, but its growth has
dipped this year, triggering a sharp slump in prices.


Xi said in a statement that the summit, which starts on Friday, would
be "a milestone in advancing China-Africa relations across the
board".


"I look forward to... injecting fresh impetus into the future of
China-Africa friendship and cooperation under the new
conditions."


But Africa is already feeling the pinch, with Chinese investment
falling by more than 40% in the first half of 2015, according to
official data.


"The rhetoric will probably be very excitable, as usual. You have got
to separate the rhetoric from reality," Ian Taylor, professor of
international relations at the University of St Andrews, told
AFP.


"We are likely to see a more sober meeting point between China and
Africa."


Xi will hold talks with President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria on Wednesday
before the sixth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) opens in
Sandton.


"China's packages towards Africa are going to be more diversified,"
said Yun Sun, China expert at the US-based Brookings research
organisation.


"The Chinese always emphasise that its economic engagement in Africa
is not altruistic.


"In some cases, Beijing is willing to put up with a loss, but I think
Xi is going to be very careful. Their foreign reserves

aren't
unlimited."


Exports squeezed
China became Africa's largest trading partner in 2009, with volumes
expected to exceed $300bn this year.


Ahead of FOCAC, China emphasised it had delivered more than $117m of
aid to affected areas during the Ebola crisis in West Africa, and also
sent hundreds of medical workers to help.


Among many African countries hit by the Chinese slowdown, Zambia
exemplifies the impact of falling commodity prices.
Its economy relies on exports of copper, which has fallen in price by
30% this year.


"We have to find other export products to China," said Commerce
Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe, who will attend the summit.


"The price of copper going down has led to job losses in the mines and
the kwacha (local currency) to depreciate (by 45%)."


Zambian President Edgar Lungu last week ordered no new road projects
to be started to save on spending.


Nigeria, the continent's largest economy, has been another major
player in China's recent involvement in Africa.


At least 40 official development projects have been financed there by
Beijing since 2004, including a $2.5bn loan for rail, power, and
telecommunications projects.


The Chinese have also provided military aid and equipment, and are
building a new terminal at Abuja airport.


"They're not going to let up on their very well-flagged goal of being
on the front foot across the continent," said Ryan Wibberley, an
emerging market equity dealer at Investec in Cape Town.


Xi - accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan - landed in South Africa
after a brief visit to Zimbabwe, where Chinese projects have helped
prop up an economy plunged into crisis under President Robert Mugabe's
rule. V.1433

One of the highlighted topics: Critical Skills Visa.

- Key Insight: Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast track to working in South Afr...
- This matter relates to critical skills visa and its broader implications.
- Individuals are advised to seek professional guidance.

Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast trac V.6139
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One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, became a victim of identity theft in 2012 when fraudulent transactions occurred, using her personal details.

-The Pretoria High Court found that the department of home affairs had violated constitutional rights without due process.
-Only half of Lawyers for Human Rights` test group has been unblocked, while 385 000 identities remain blocked nationwide.
-LHR appeals extension, urges affected people to seek help now.

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) are intensifying pressure on the department of home affairs over the national ID-blocking crisis, accusing the state of acting too slowly to unblock qualifying individuals despite a landmark court ruling.

In January last year, the Pretoria High Court found that the department`s practice of blocking IDs without due process was unlawful and unconstitutional. One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, a Swati citizen and South African permanent resident since 1998, fell victim to identity theft in 2012 when fraudsters used her personal details.

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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6128
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6129
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A Washington state mother and her 6-year-old son have been released after spending more than three weeks in US immigration detention due to a brief trip to Canada and a small paperwork mistake, her attorney told CNN on Saturday.

Sarah Shaw, a New Zealand citizen who has lived legally in the US since she arrived in 2021, was detained at the Blaine, Washington, Customs and Border Protection checkpoint when returning home after dropping her two oldest children off at the Vancouver airport for a flight to visit their grandparents in New Zealand. Shaw, 33, chose the flight out of Vancouver because it was direct and she didn`t want her children to have to navigate a layover alone, her attorney Minda Thorward, told CNN.

 V.6130
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On 22 July 2025, the Gauteng High Court dismissed Sitrusrand Boerdery`s review of the Department of Employment and Labour`s refusal to issue a Working Conditions and Salary Benchmarking Certificate, an essential precondition for obtaining corporate visas under the Immigration Act.

Acting Judge Kekana AJ held that the Department`s decision was lawful, rational and procedurally fair. This judgment illustrates how businesses can - and must - structure their corporate visa applications to meet statutory requirements, and how legal practitioners should prepare robust review challenges when administrative authorities decline to recommend foreign-work permits.

 V.6131
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The United States could forfeit an estimated 9.4 billion dollars in visitor spending over the next three years following the introduction of a new 250 dollars `visa integrity fee,` according to industry groups, who warn the policy risks undermining tourism and costing thousands of jobs.
The United States’ decision to introduce a 250 dollars `visa integrity fee` on international visitors has triggered sharp criticism from the global tourism industry, with officials warning that the measure could deter millions of travellers and cost the U.S. economy billions.
The 250dollar `visa integrity fee,` part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed on July 4, 2025, will take effect later this year. According to immigration law firm Envoy Global, it applies to all nonimmigrant visa holders which include students, tourists, temporary workers, and business visitors particularly from African countries. V.6132
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6127
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1. Right to Legal Representation•You have the right to consult with a legal representative.•Contact an immigration practitioner, legal aid clinic, or attorney urgently.•Do not sign any documents without understanding them fully. 2. Section 34 of the Immigration Act•You must be brought to court with 48 hours to confirm arrest but you can remain locked up very long as courts figure out what to do with you •If you`re found to be illegally in South Africa, you may be detained for up to 30 days (extendable by a magistrate) pending deportation.•BUT this cannot happen arbitrarily. You must be informed of your rights, and Home Affairs must follow due process.- becomes a nightmare , you could lose your job , business , place to stay V.6121
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Driving for Bolt, Uber, Mr D, or Checkers Sixty60?If you`re undocumented, you`re risking more than just your income.The Risks if You`re Not Legal: - Vehicle impoundment - Heavy fines - Arrest & deportation - Permanent bans from working in SA V.6122
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