While the Australian dollar has depreciated some 30% against major
currencies, it has held steady against the South African rand. As a
result, both South Africa and Namibia offer great value for money to
Australian travellers who are likely to choose these destinations over
the US and Europe, as well as other African destinations with
dollar-based pricing. "People who have never thought about Africa
before will be looking at it now because America and Europe have got
expensive," he says.


This is according to Jonathon Wilson, MD at Brisbane-based Encompass
Africa, an online travel agency and tour operator. "South Africa and
Namibia are doing well because they still represent good value for
money, whereas the rest of Africa is all US dollar-based," he says
adding that the Australian dollar has depreciated against the US
dollar by nearly 30%. Wilson explains that, because of the depreciated
Australian dollar, destinations like Botswana are 30% more expensive
for Australian travellers. He also expects that Australian travel to
SA will increase as he expects the rand to depreciate further.


Wilson, whose clients consist largely of 65-plus travellers, families
and professional couples, says that many of his clients, even those
aged 65 and above, are comfortable booking travel online and via
email, while he deals directly with suppliers or through DMCs. Wilson
argues that this is because his company offers destination expertise
and customised itineraries and tailor-made safaris as opposed to
brochure package holidays.


Typically, retired Australians travelling to Southern Africa

have
travelled extensively, having visited destinations including the US,
Europe and even Antarctica. He says Africa is possibly left till last
because it is seen as the "scary dark continent". However, Wilson
says, upon returning from a trip to Southern Africa, many of these
travellers describe it as the best holiday of their life.


According to Wilson, family and multigenerational travel out of
Australia is growing. He adds that a multi-generational family group
will sometimes book out a lodge for exclusive use. "Definitely the
family market is growing and growing. The typical scenario is granddad
contacts us and wants to book a safari holiday for the whole family –
living his inheritance with them rather than watching them spend
it."


Australian travellers coming to Southern Africa are looking for
wildlife, wilderness and culture and will often spend two weeks on
safari with a city break in Cape Town, says Wilson. This market is not
looking for a beach holiday, having plenty beaches of their own back
home.


Wilson says he is seeing an increase in special-interest holidays,
including gourmet-focused safaris that include chefs cooking and
interacting with guests, sharing their culinary secrets as well as
photographic safaris that are accompanied by a professional wildlife
photographer. Wilson also sells fly-in safaris for an increasing
number of guests who opt to travel with a private plane, spending more
time at destinations and less time at airports. V.1449

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.

 V.6133
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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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