Deputy minister Fatima Chohan told journalists that the department
was ready to handle increased traffic, in particular at the air
and land ports. Chohan said the festive season â€` officially
starting on December 5 until January 9 2019 â€` heightened movement
across the ports of entry and the demand for home affairs
services, particularly passport applications.
Chohan addressed journalists in place of newly appointed home
affairs minister Siyabonga Cwele, who was participating in a
delayed national assembly debate on the Electoral Laws Amendment
Bill.
The festive period, along with Easter and school holidays, is the
peak season at national borders.
Chohan said in the 2017-18 festive season, a total of 8,468,262
movements were captured, comprising arrivals and departures of SA
citizens and foreigners. Of these, 2,304,449 were citizens`
movements and 6,163,813 were foreigners` movements.
The highest arrivals from the SA Development Community (SADC)
region were from Lesotho at 758,519, followed by Zimbabwe
(712,688), Mozambique (398,684), Swaziland (306,682) and Botswana
(256,793). In the same period, OR Tambo International Airport was
the leading port for all movements, with 1,569,100 recorded there.

It was followed by Beitbridge at 1,215,845 and Lebombo at 936,415.
Chohan said that in preparation for the upcoming festive period,
the information technology (IT) team at home affairs was
conducting a clean-sweep operation to ensure that all IT equipment
was in a good condition at all the ports to ensure optimal
functioning.
“The team is also setting up overflow areas for processing of
travellers in Maseru Bridge, Lebombo and Beitbridge, in order to
cater for the volumes expected,” she said.
She said it was imperative that ports of entry were adequately
prepared to facilitate traveller movement and to curb illegal
movement and transgressions. Security dynamics and risks during
peak periods include fraudulent documents, undocumented travellers
and poor access control due to congested roads.
Chohan implored travellers leaving and entering SA to ensure that
all their travel documents were in order to avoid unnecessary
delays at ports. These include passports, visas, health
certificates, permits for specified goods, plants and animals,
vehicle insurance and bank-authorised cross-border documents for
vehicles. V.2646

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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