Addressing the National Assembly, Home Affairs Minister Professor
Hlengiwe Mkhize gave another indication the proposed Border Management
Authority (BMA) will be active only at recognised ports of entry
leaving by far the bulk of border protection to the military.

She hinted at, but gave no further details of, an apparently new
position, that of “border guard”. She also told MPs there was concern
about the nature of powers to be given to these border guards to
conduct routine searches but did not indicate from where they would be
drawn or whether they would be specially recruited.

“The BMA will play an important role in supporting the creation of an
inclusive and growing economy at the frontline of our country’s
borders by facilitating the legitimate movement of people and goods in
line with our socio-economic objectives. We will focus on building the
right set of skills for Border Guard officials and on establishing
modern and secure infrastructure, information and communication
technology platforms that meet the universal standards based on the
rule of law,” she told MPs.

According to Mkhize, who inherited the BMA legislation from Malusi
Gigaba, now Minister of Finance, two of the imperatives underpinning
the BMA Bill are “a new policy paradigm of integrated border
management” and a determination to facilitate “the legal and secure
movement of people and goods across our borders”.

As far as challenges facing the still-to-be finalised government
agency, she pointed out one being “government departments and state
agencies operating in a fragmented and incoherent manner with
conflicting policy positions, non-aligned implementation and varied
interpretation of the border management regulatory regime”.

The consequences of inefficient and ineffective border

manager at
South Africa’s 72 ports of entry leads to travellers and traders
having to put up with poor service and “creates a breeding ground for
corruption”.

The SA National Defence Force (SANDF), mainly through deployments of
SA Army and SA Army Reserve Force units, assisted by elements of the
SA Air Force (SAAF) and the skills of the SA Army Specialised Infantry
Capability (SASIC) unit, does the necessary patrolling of the
country’s landward borders, stopping illegal immigrants and
contraband. There are currently 15 companies deployed at any one time
as part of Operation Corona, the border protection tasking that sees
soldiers patrolling South Africa’s landward borders with Botswana,
Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.

Defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula visited SANDF and community
members at Mbuzini on the border with Mozambique in on May 3 to find
out what challenges they are facing. She was told that over the last
two months, soldiers assisted by police had arrested 206 undocumented
immigrants who illegally crossed the border from Mozambique and
Swaziland and seized contraband goods, dagga and stolen vehicles worth
R10 million.

Over the weekend Community safety, security and liaison MEC Pat
Ngomane launched a border security programme that is aimed at
eliminating cross border car theft. The launch, held at Komatipoort,
included stakeholders the SAPS, SANDF, Nkomazi local municipality and
Tracker.

In the 2016-17 financial year, about 142 stolen vehicles were
recovered while trying to cross the border to Mozambique. Four stolen
cars were recovered in the last week on the border between South
Africa and Mozambique. V.1955

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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