Once upon a time there was a country on the southern tip of Africa,
where it’s people called themselves Proudly South African.
• Against all odds they had silenced the nay-sayers and peacefully
ushered in democracy for all.
• Their nuclear arsenal had been voluntarily disarmed,
• Their rugby team had won the World Cup and the soccer team the
African Cup of Nations.
• Grief and forgiveness happened at the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission
• Big Business had shed 25% of their equity to create a Black middle
class.
• And the Founding Father of the Nation voluntarily handed over power
after but one term in office.
Audible sighs of relief emanated from the Whites as the fear of a
“Black revenge” evaporated like mist in the morning sun, to be
replaced by a sense of hope and even camaraderie.
Similarly amongst Black folk hate, grounded in iniquitous past
injustices, was dissipated by a sense of achievement as well as a
possible acknowledgement that the Whites had chosen the peaceful option.
Bishop Tutu coined the memorable “Rainbow Nation” words and for a
brief, glorious time the nation basked in it’s glow as a sense of
common cause and pride in what had been achieved prevailed.
That was then.
As time moved on fractures began to appear as emotion subsided and the
hard reality of everyday life set in.
In short, on both sides of the racial divide, their sense of common
purpose found itself in a quicksand. Cynics had a field day revelling
in their intellectual shallows. Nay-sayers whooped and hollered.
Briefly things superficially righted themselves as they hosted the
FIFA 2010 World Cup and they revelled as one as Tshabalala netted a
goal in the opening game.
Their third President, Jacob Zuma then started on a process of State
Capture, dispensing largesse Left and Centre at the expense of his people.
Internationally the currency was junked.
The Story changes
And so the fairy tale came to an end. The poor became poorer and the
unemployed youth evermore restless.
Gradually it became apparent amongst Blacks that Whites had in effect
given up very little, other than extending the vote. But they still
controlled the economy.
And so the embers of resentment began to glow and were fanned by the
flames of concepts like white monopoly capital and land expropriation
without compensation.
This all engendered a return to fear amongst Whites and resentment
amongst Blacks.
Both sides starting to feel that they had been sold down the river.
Increasingly Mandela and De Klerk were seen as sell outs by their
respective constituents.
And so Proudly South African became Angry South African, Gatvol South
African, Scared South African, Disillusioned South African,
Embarrassed South African, Militant South African, Sad South African.
Suspicion grew as physical and emotional barriers were erected. In
short they lost a common frame of reference regarding what it means to
be a South African.
Although still tenuously held together by a common faith in the
judiciary, a free press, the Constitution, but conversely increasingly
at odds over how to share our country’s bounty and the fruits of our
labour.
A sense of talking past each other as opposed to with each other.
Socialism versus capitalism, free enterprise versus State ownership.
Departure points at polar opposites. Little empathy for one another.
And that is the nub of the matter. A failure to recognize the extent
of the damage and the magnitude of the task.
Where to from here I ask?
We must therefore acknowledge that we are now but in the foothills and
that things are understandably fractured and frayed. This was never
going to be a smooth ride.
What politicians do
Politicians of course are amplifying the condition to serve their
respective political agendas, few if any, of which

coincide with those
of the people they are purportedly there to serve. Politics after all
is about power not service.
What we can do
However the fact is that it is with us, the people, that the real
opportunity lies to write the next chapter in our country’s history.
With the mothers and fathers, nieces and nephews, cousins and
siblings, gogo’s and elders, friends and acquaintances.
Bound together at a macro level by a common bond regarding justice,
accountability, a free press and the Constitution.
At an interpersonal level our common desire for a better life, an
aversion to crime and corruption and basic decency and goodwill that
one experiences everyday. Civilians being civil to one another across
all walks of life. From the dreadlocked Black personal trainer working
over three White ladies and an Indian gentleman as he puts them
through their early morning tummy tucks on the lawn at Zoo Lake, to an
offer to share a Carling Black Label quart (what else) out of a bakkie
boot in the park at Craddock by some farm workers celebrating a
friend’s birthday.
What I can do
For me it really boils down to consciously saying that I am not going
to be a guest in my own country. No. I am going to embrace it as a
participant. Without fear �` because fear begets anger and it is in
anger that the seeds of hatred are sown.
For me there is absolutely no way that we can ever claim to be Proudly
South African again unless each of us, every day, is doing something
that makes us as individuals proud to be a South African.
So I ask myself the question each day �` what have I done today that
made me proud to be a South African ?
That is where it starts. Like eating an elephant �` one bite, one deed,
one hello, one smile, one thank you at a time.
So rather than futilely venting at the self-serving politicians, let’s
rather do something without fear or favour that demonstrates our
commitment to the country and its people.
Mutuality
Consider for a moment what Martin Luther King Jnr said, “We are
caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. Whatever affects one
affects all indirectly”.
How powerful is that………“an inescapable network of mutuality”.
What I am talking about can range from thanking the petrol attendant
by name next time he / she fills your car, let the taxi in who is
trying to earn a living as you go off to the hairdresser, support a
child of your domestic lady, join an NGO etc.
So often it is the basic little things which more than anything help
break down the damaging stereotypes that so bedevil our perceptions of
one another. Misperceptions and suspicions that get in the way of us
recognizing our shared mutuality.
But importantly this cannot be done by proxy.
It has to be done by actively involving ourselves in alleviating
whatever it is we think is undermining our common cause. Each within
our means and ability. Each with a positive intent.
John Clegg dances with a member of his band Savuka. A multi-racial
band, Savuka was one of the first bands to bring traditional South
African pop music to the rest of the world.
For me, one of the best examples of what I have described above is
Johnny Clegg, a person who fully embraced his country, it’s peoples,
it’s languages, customs and cultures. A person who unites us like few
and makes us proud because what he does, he does so proudly. Who fears
not and moves us to tears.
Let the fraying cease and the knitting begin as we start our
individual journeys to be truly proud South Africans. V.2309

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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