NCANDWENI LEADER BANNED FROM SA
13/03/2016 – Swaziland Times
MANZINI – Timothy Myeni, the charismatic leader of high-rolling gospel
music ensemble Ncandweni Christ Ambassadors, has been banned from
setting foot in South Africa for the next five years.

Myeni was declared undesirable by South Africa`s Department of Home
Affairs in November 2015. This was four months ago.
As part of conditions of his ban, he will not be allowed to visit the
republic for the next five years. This means he was barred from
setting his foot in South Africa from November 2015 to at least
November 2020.
This information, which the Times SUNDAY obtained from impeccable
sources, was reluctantly confirmed by Myeni, who is a former Lubuli
Member of Parliament (MP) in an interview on Friday.

Myeni said he was yet to find out why he was banned but according to
information availed to this newspaper, he overstayed and exceeded the
number of days provided by officials at the South African border. He
said he was working with the South African Home Affairs Department to
resolve the problem.

The former MP said he was told about the ban at the border post in
Oshoek. He was on his way back to Swaziland from Johannesburg, where
he runs some of his businesses.
"I was shocked when I was told by border officials that I was no
longer allowed to visit South Africa. When I

enquired what happened,
they told me that the information about the ban was in their system,"
he said.

Myeni said he was allowed into Swaziland but told that he would not be
able to go back to SA. He has been in and out of SA immediately after
the end of his parliamentary term in 2013 to, among other things,
market music for his gospel group. Previously, Myeni was reported to
hold dual citizenship: the Swazi and South African. He had a South
African identification document (ID). He, however, renounced his South
Africa citizenship after an issue about it was raised in parliament,
when he was still an MP.

In an interview, he confirmed that he surrendered the documents to the
South African authorities. "I retained my Swazi citizenship and was
using my Swazi travel document each time I travelled to South Africa."
In November last year, Myeni was surprised when he reached the border
from Johannesburg, only to be told that his travel document had been
blocked.

When he enquired what was happening, he was told that according to
information in the border control system, he was banned from visiting
South Africa. He was then advised to immediately drive into Swaziland
and never come back. Last week, Myeni moved most of his movable
property to the country. V.1591

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.

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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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