The UK is eating itself alive. The consequences for the world will be
profound.


On Thursday the UK will vote in a referendum to decide whether to stay
in the EU or leave the organisation of 28 member nations.


From the southern tip of Africa it might seem like a far-away debate
but this move will have repercussions that will hit us sooner rather
than later.


A "leave" vote on Thursday will no doubt be devastating for the
UK.

Already the pound sterling has taken a beating against
major currencies. Business is jittery. Business leaders and economists
are predicting massive job losses and an economy that will
stall.


There is, however, another, greater danger. Brexit - as the break-up
is called - will lead to a Nazi-type radical nationalism, fascism and
racism in Europe.


Already, in France, the right-wing National Front leader Marine le Pen
continues to gain ground and is a serious contender for the presidency
in the 2017 election.


In Germany the racist, right-wing Alternative for Germany has seen
massive growth in support recently by beating an anti-immigration
drum.


In the UK the pressure for exiting the EU emanates from the
right-wing, anti-immigration UK Independence Party leader Nigel
Farage, a man who has claimed that there is a higher risk of sex
attacks by migrants if the country stays in the organisation.


On Friday, Le Pen gave a fiery speech at a beer-swilling rally of
European far-right "patriots" in Austria. She claimed that, by exiting
the EU, the UK "is regaining its liberty, its freedom to trade with
whom it pleases".


Her message was eerily akin to the words of the man accused of
murdering British Labour MP Jo Cox on Thursday.


In court on Saturday, accused Thomas Mair gave his name as "Death to
traitors, freedom for Britain".


What does all this mean? Europe is in danger of falling apart into
tiny little fascist, nationalistic enclaves of the type that existed
before World War 1 and 2.


The UK itself might very well disintegrate: Scotland might want
another referendum on leaving the UK, and then England and Wales will
be left all alone while the Scottish tribe drifts away.


Politically, Britain's governing Conservative Party is so divided over
the issue that it makes our ANC's fissures look as sedate as the
queen's summer garden party.


Already there is grave talk that whatever the result of this week's
referendum Prime Minister David Cameron will face a revolt from

within
his own party.


Newspapers report darkly that Boris Johnson, the pro-Brexit former
mayor of London, is preparing to "move" against Cameron after
Thursday.


Daily Mail columnist Stephen Glover wrote: "I foresee months, if not
years, of internecine warfare among Conservatives."


How did the UK get to this point? How did it get to a situation in
which business leaders are warning that the UK faces economic meltdown
if it decides to leave the EU while the "Brexiteers" warn that staying
in means being controlled from Brussels while foreigners "flood" (that
sounds familiar, doesn't it?) the country?
Sadly, Cameron is to blame. After negotiations with the EU in 2013,
and right-wing pressure particularly from Ukip and its leader Farage's
strident anti-immigrant rantings, Cameron promised a referendum on
whether to stay in or leave the EU.


Cameron thought he could get away with a "sensible" result. The gambit
has blown up in his face and now the "Brexiteers" are on the
rise.


Last week an Evening Standard newspaper poll showed that the campaign
to leave Europe was gaining ground with 53% of Britons now wanting to
leave and 47% wanting to stay.


What now? The world is worried about the prospect of the UK turning
its back on the EU and essentially the world. Janet Yellen, US Federal
Reserve chairman, revealed last week that US interest rates were being
held steady, partly because of EU jitters.


"It is a decision that could have consequences for economic and
financial conditions in global financial markets," Yellen said.


For me, former British prime minister Gordon Brown made the most
salient point about what Brexit would mean.


In the New Statesman magazine, he wrote: "Each of the EU's 28 member
states has abolished capital punishment, tightened gun control laws
and championed human rights . We are united by a belief that foreign
policy is not just an exercise in protecting interests but also about
advancing ideals . But now this set of beliefs is under fire."


Thursday's Brexit vote might change the global political architecture
in fundamental ways. An EU without the UK might tip the world back to
the fascistic, mean, dangerous political waters of the 1930s.


We will feel the effects - through trade, diplomacy and other ways -
here in South Africa. V.1654

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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