The folly of parliament passing poorly drafted legislation has cost
thousands of jobs, seen state entities lose billions and caused both a
run on pensions and a huge decline in international visitors.


Now the state wants to dilute even further vital regulation impact
assessments with a new assessment that places ''national security and
social cohesion'' above the economy and jobs.


South African business leaders in Johannesburg yesterday criticised
the government over a lack of transparency of controversial bills that
had huge economic impacts.


At the SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Black Business
Council, Small Business Project and Tourism Business Council
criticised the government over its apathy in ensuring that
internationally recognised Regulatory Impact Assessments were done on
proposed legislation, bills and passed laws.


RIAs are designed to improve regulatory efficiency, looking at, among
others, the effect of proposed legislation on economic growth, job
creation and equality. They are conducted by economic companies
contracted by industry and government.


The criticism comes after the World Bank's Economic Update report,
released yesterday, spelt more bad news for the country, forecasting
GDP growth of 0.8% for 2016, down from 1.3% in 2015 and the lowest
growth rate since 2009.


It follows similar projections by the IMF of 0.7% GDP growth.


With a raft of controversial bills, including the Promotion and
Protection of Investment Bill, Expropriation Bill and Private Security
Industry Regulation Bill about to be passed, critics are calling for a
thorough examination of their potential impact.


The RIAs are, says Chris Darroll, Small Business Project CEO, being
phased out in favour of socio-economic impact assessments.


The new assessments follow the government's announcement that a
committee, headed by former president Kgalema Motlanthe, would review
previously passed laws.


Darroll said RIAs help underpin the government's capacity to
effectively implement laws.


"Very little is known about these new assessments and how they will be
implemented."


Darroll said implementing regulatory oversight half-heartedly, or
testing laws retrospectively, was never going to be as powerful as
"ensuring that every piece of potentially contentious legislation is
scrutinised through the lens of a

thorough, quality, rigorous and
internationally recognised RIA.


"By firmly institutionalising proper oversight over policy-making
processes we can restore investor confidence."


Proper evidence, she said, was key to unpacking the need for and
developing policy.


"Evidence ensures we are not adding unnecessary bureaucracy for both
the private and public sectors. It ensures laws are enforceable, don't
disrupt service delivery or increase the burden of red tape,
especially for small business."


Zuma's economic adviser, Bheki Mfeka, failed to respond to e-mailed
questions on the socioeconomic impact assessments.


Laws that drew condemnation from the briefing were the government's
Immigration Act and Visa Regulations, which required children
travelling to and from the country to have unabridged birth
certificates with visa applicants having to apply in person at a South
African embassy for biometric processing. The new Tax Laws Amendment
Act, signed into law last month by Zuma, also came under fire. It will
require compulsory annuitisation of two-thirds of provident fund
savings on retirement.


Mavuso Msimang, Tourism Business Council chairman, said the visa
regulations issue would have cost the South African economy
R2.6-billion last year and 5800 jobs, with airline data showing a 40%
decline in children travelling to South Africa and ticket sales down
20%. "Only after extensive engagements, widespread pressure from
stakeholders and media attention was a commission established to
investigate the regulations' impact.


"This investigation saw the rescinding of the biometric requirements
and limiting the need for unabridged birth certificates to South
African citizens.


"All of this took time, money and energy which could have been better
invested in growing our tourism sector and creating jobs.


"Had a proper RIA been conducted ahead of the regulations development,
these unintended consequences would have been avoided."
On the tax amendment legislation, Black Business Council CEO Mohale
Ralebitso said while the amendments were drafted with good intent,
government, by signing the Act into law, could have unintentionally
created negative consequences. V.1576

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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