Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) has lost R25-million in retail
revenue from duty-free shopping because of sluggish passport control
and a shortage of staff.
At the Standing Committee on Economic Opportunities, Tourism and
Agriculture this week, Western Cape spokesperson for Economic
Opportunities, Tourism and Agriculture and a Member of Parliament,
Beverley Schäfer, said that the average waiting time for inbound
international passengers at passport control at CTIA currently sits
at 27 minutes and 38 seconds, far above the international best
practice average of 10 minute.
Schäfer continued to explain that these delays are caused by the
reduced numbers of immigration officers employed at CTIA, coming down
from 82 to 68. CTIA has also seen an increase in inbound flights by
750 000 since 2015. She confirmed that the Home Affairs’ passport
control delays are causing an overall loss of R25-million in duty-
free shopping.
Schäfer also stated that during peak hours, the Department of Home
Affairs opens only five counters out of the available 18 to process,
on average, 35 000 passengers per day, causing a bottleneck at
passport control which causes delays for passengers and cripples
airport activity.
Schäfer also expressed concern that the neglect of the

airport’s duty-
free shopping experience is largely affecting economic activity and
threatening thousands of jobs in the Western Cape. She said she will
shortly be addressing the diminishing numbers of Home Affairs
officials employed at the CTIA with the Western Cape Minister of
Economic Opportunities, Tourism, and Agriculture, Alan Winde.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has promised to raise concerns with the
Department of Home Affairs (DHA) regarding the number of immigration
officials employed.
The official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for the
Western Cape and its capital Cape Town, Wesgro, has also joined the
conversation stating that CTIA experienced a 20% growth in
international terminal passengers, succeeding the world average of 8%.
The current growth of the Cape Town International Airport is expected
to secure more than 150 000 international inbound seats from three
new flight routes in 2018 alone. The delays and dwindling numbers of
Home Affairs officials are expected to greatly affect this growth and
threaten thousands of employees within the tourism and retail sectors
as well as discourage the return of international visitors to the
Mother City. V.2262

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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