SA will not mimic Trump in Lesotho deportations, assures Malusi Gigaba
30 January 2017 â€" TMG Digital

SA will soon begin deporting undocumented Lesotho nationals but will
not mimic US President Donald Trump’s attitude towards migrants from
neighbouring Mexico in doing so.
Department of Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba on Sunday gave an
update on the Lesotho special permit application process‚ which closed
in December.
The special permits were introduced to regularise the stay of Basotho
people in SA for work‚ study or business.
For the duration of the application process‚ Basotho in SA unlawfully
were protected by amnesty but this will come to an end on March 31‚
the deadline for applicants to submit outstanding documents to the
department.
From April, deportations of those who failed to apply for their
special permits would begin‚ Gigaba said.
Gigaba said‚ however‚ that the department was not seeking the "Trump
solution" for dealing with any people in the country illegally.
"The Trump approach‚ we will never support it. We think it’s going to
compound [strained] relations between the US and Mexico. We think the
US is going to suffer."
During his election campaign last year‚ Trump created a storm of
controversy when he vowed to build a wall along the US-Mexico border
to keep Mexicans from entering the US illegally.
Trump has also ordered a travel ban to the US for refugees and other
travellers from seven Muslim countries since taking office.
"In the mind of a narrow-minded person such measures may

seem
credible. But someone who has a long-term view will realise that this
is going to be very costly in terms of human life [and] in terms of
economic resources‚" Gigaba said.
He said that the Lesotho government had co-operated well with the
special permit application process.
A total of 127‚048 online special permit applications have been
submitted. By the end of December‚ 88‚563 Basotho nationals had
completed the application process‚ while the rest still have
outstanding documents due.
The department will now focus on adjudicating the applications and
issuing permits. To date‚ 31‚019 permits have been collected.
Gigaba said the permits aimed to relieve pressure from the asylum
seeker management process‚ provide amnesty to Basotho who obtained
South African documents fraudulently and regularise Basotho residing
in SA undocumented.
No applications have been rejected thus far.
Gigaba also tackled anti-immigrant sentiments doing the rounds on
social media‚ alleging the department has called for the immediate
deportation of undocumented migrants from African countries.
"We will not incite citizens to take the law into their hands when we
have the legal means ourselves lawfully to control illegal migration
and effect deportations as necessary."
He said the government ultimately wanted to accommodate free movement
for the citizens of all African countries‚ but that this needed to be
managed gradually.
TMG Digital V.1882

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
Click here for full article

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
Click here for full article

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
Click here for full article

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
Click here for full article

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
Click here for full article

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
Click here for full article

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
Click here for full article

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
Click here for full article

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
Click here for full article

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
Click here for full article