Over 50 people including South African Home Affairs officials have
been arrested on their side of the Beitbridge border post in a
development that has left Zimbabwean officials in panic mode.

The 50 were arrested for fraud, corruption and other illegal
activities and it is suspected that some of the crimes are committed
in cohorts with Zimbabwe Government workers at the border.

Masvingo Mirror reported that the suspects, who include senior SA
immigration officers and Police, were apprehended during a crime
prevention operation between Home Affairs and the Hawks last week.

It is suspected that the officials arrested were aiding human
traffickers, smuggling rings and drug and cigarette traffickers
working with organised syndicates on the Zimbabwean side.

Media reports said the 50 were expected to appear before a Musina
court last Friday although no further reports have been published.

Earlier reports quoted SA Home Affairs minister Malusi Gigaba
applauding the arrests, saying it demonstrated that his department is
serious about fighting illegal activities.

His Zimbabwean counterpart Ignatious Chombo who recently visited
Beitbridge and said his Government was losing about 50 percent of the
possible

revenue from Beitbridge through corruption.

Chombo and a ministerial committee established to plug holes at the
porous border said they would soon install cameras to fight crime.

Zimbabwe wants to increase patrols along the border line and the road
from Beitbridge to Chikwarakwara is currently being upgraded.

Officials arrested in South Africa were spotted on cameras that have
been monitored over a long time while others were caught in the act.

Foreigners from as far afield as Somalia pass through the Zimbabwean
side and find their way into South Africa assisted by some Zimbabweans.

There are several known human smugglers at Beitbridge who charge
amounts ranging from $300 to $500 to facilitate an illegal entry into SA.

These human smugglers use stolen or forged documents and passports.
Some of those arrested are suspected to have been fast-tracking
processing of residents and work permits to some undeserving
applicants or issuing of free visas.

An immigration official said more than 3 000 passports have been
returned from SA after they were found to be stolen and being used by
other people and not real holders. V.1647

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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