(Johannesburg) November 8, 2016 — Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the United
States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, visited
Jesuit Refugee Service South Africa`s Urban Refugee Program November
1, to learn first hand about the challenges faced by vulnerable
refugees — survivors of SGBV and refugees from the LGBTI community.
Assistant Secretary Thomas-Greenfield`s visit to JRS in Johannesburg
was spurred by her desire to learn more about vulnerable refugees,
particularly survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and
LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and/or intersex) refugees.

Thomas-Greenfield is a former U.S. Ambassador to Liberia, and former
Deputy Assistant Secretary for the State Department`s Bureau of
Population, Refugees and Migration. Carla Nadeau (the Human Rights
Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria), Dhulce-Janice Maguire of
USAID, and Sydney Letsholo accompanied the Assistant Secretary on her
visit. Also on hand for the visit were: Charity Mungweme from Action
Support Centre; Gulian Koko from Church World Service; Alexandra
Hiropoulos from the African Centre for Migration Studies; and David
Lindgren from Freedom House.

Jesuit Refugee Service Southern Africa Regional Director Tim Smith
welcomed the group and noted that JRS "works in four countries in
Southern Africa: Malawi, Zimbabwe, Angola and South Africa, and here
in South Africa we work exclusively with urban refugees. Many of these
are victims of FGM and SGBV, and those we have invited are part of
that group."

Thomas-Greenfield asked JRS to arrange a meeting with a group of LGBTI
refugees and SGBV survivors, to hear their stories and learn their
challenges first hand. Two Congolese survivors of SGBV, and five
refugees from the LGBTI community (from Zimbabwe, Somalia, Ethiopia
and Nigeria) shared their stories with the Secretary.

The LGBTI refugees fled to South Africa because of their sexual
orientation — in Nigeria LGBTI people are sentenced to 14 years

in
prison, and in Somalia and Ethiopia they face the death penalty.

"Several harrowing stories were told, and U.S. officials were almost
moved to tears," said Johan Viljoen, Country Director of JRS South
Africa.

Yvette, a 55 year-old refugee from the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, related how a sexual assault in her home while she was four
months pregnant caused her to lose her unborn child. The attackers
kidnapped her husband when they left, and after she recovered from her
physical trauma Yvette took her three children and fled.

After a harrowing journey of several years, Yvette and her children
reached Johannesburg. But, they spent 18 months living on the streets.
During this period, her younger daughter, only 13 years old, was
abducted by human traffickers and used for six months as a child
prostitute. Eventually Yvette and her family were found by Marcelline
Sangara, a Congolese nurse and the JRS home-based care nurse in
Johannesburg. Today Yvette is rebuilding her life. She runs a small
business, and her two youngest children are in high school.

The refugees said they face difficulties in finding accommodation and
income in South Africa. All said that while "ordinary" refugees can
rely on the support of their compatriots, LGBTI refugees cannot. The
Somalis said they face death threats from the local Somali community.

"The main problem in South Africa highlighted by each of the refugees
is difficulty in getting documentation and refugee status — although
South Africa law guarantees this, it is difficult at the Department of
Home Affairs, where they face xenophobia and homophobia at the hands
of officials," said Viljoen.

Although the meeting was scheduled to end at 4 p.m., Linda
Thomas-Greenfield and the U.S. Embassy officials stayed until after 5
p.m., engaging with the refugees. V.1843

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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