Those close to the South African presidency told the Daily News
yesterday that Harare should not expect a bailout from its northern
neighbour, which is facing a tricky election this year.

Ahead of the visit, South Africa’s minister of International Relations
and Cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu said ending sanctions against Zimbabwe
will top Ramaphosa’s agenda.
Ramaphosa’s arrival comes hard on the heels of another high-profile
visit by the President of Botswana Keabetswe Masisi, who signed
several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Mnangagwa.Masisi
disappointed his host by refusing to extend a $600 million loan to
Zimbabwe, only providing $94 million for businesses in Botswana to
invest in the troubled country.

In a statement, Pretoria said the two heads of State will review the
bilateral cooperation between their countries as well as review
progress made with the implementation of bilateral agreements.

“To date, the two countries have signed 45 agreements, which cover a
wide range of fields, including trade and investment, health, labour,
migration, defence, taxation, tourism, scientific and technological
cooperation, water and environment,” reads part of the statement.

When Zimbabwe and South Africa last held the BNC they were led by
Robert Mugabe and Jacob Zuma respectively but both men were pressured
to resign before completion of their terms.

The men who succeeded them are bosom buddies and will be seeking to
cement ties between their two countries.

Ramaphosa will be accompanied by a high-powered business delegation.

Several senior South African officials have been in the country since
last week ahead of the structured BNC, first established in 2015.

Zimbabwe and South Africa share a lot in common from their liberation
history, cultural linkages and the commonality of their people.
The neighbouring country keeps the largest number of Zimbabweans,
estimated at over three million.Its companies are the biggest
investors in Zimbabwe.

South Africa ranks as Zimbabwe’s second export destination after China
(US$844 million), with exports into that country amounting to US$189
million.
The neighbouring country tops the list of imports origins at $2,01
billion, followed by China at $442 million, India ($149 million),
Zambia ($133 million) and Hong Kong ($57,8 million).

The BNC comes as Zimbabwean businesses are fragile and in desperate
need of protection in their recovery phase.

After countries such as China chose to keep their wallets closed after
approaches from Harare, those in the corridors of power expect South
Africa to give Zimbabwe the much-needed lift. But Zimbabwe also has a
lot of work to do to convince that there has been adequate progress
onaddressing its financial and governance delinquency challenges.
The permanent secretary in the ministry of Information Nick Mangwana
said that the BNC comes on the heels of another engagement with
Botswana is a vindication of their engagement policy. “We can’t be a
country pushing for great relationships with countries afar when we
have poor relations

with those countries with which we share so much
including borders,” he said. “Regarding MoUs or bailouts, let’s not be
pre-emptive about the outcomes of the interactions between our
countries’ leadership. Announcements will be made in their due season”.

Mangwana, however, said Zimbabwe is not in the business of receiving
bailouts but seeks to have mutually beneficial relations with its
neighbours, the nature of which will be revealed after negotiations
have taken place.

Ibbo Mandaza, a political analyst, said the whole hullabaloo was about
nothing.
He said: “These are routine meetings so it is nothing out of the
ordinary.”
Another analyst, Stephen Chan, said Ramaphosa cannot be seen to be
bailing out an unpopular regime in an election year. Chan said the
Zimbabwean economy needs fundamental restructuring, not just a
kick-start from its neighbour. “The South Africans have already made
it clear they have not much to give. It’s Ramaphosa’s
election year. He can’t be seen by his voters to be giving billions to
Zimbabwe when the South African economy itself needs a kick-start,”
said Chan.

International Crisis Group consultant Piers Pigou said while Africa’s
biggest economy may be in a position to help improve liquidity through
the extension of credit facilities or even lend its weight to support
efforts to build the refinancing necessary to cover debt arrears,
South Africa has limited options and other priorities in terms of
available funds.
“It provides an opportunity for Ramaphosa to see how best South Africa
could help move reform and recovery options forward. But this requires
Ramaphosa excavating the full picture, not a selective sanitised
version of developments, as evidenced from minister Ncube’s recent
reform progress report to the IMF,” said Pigou.
Political analyst Maxwell Saungweme believes it’s significant as South
Africa said the visit is timely as Zimbabwe is in an economic and
political bedlam.He said Ramaphosa is also likely to encourage
dialogue to get a solution to the political logjam.
“He is likely to talk to both Mnangagwa and (Nelson) Chamisa. Whatever
his intervention will be, at the end solutions to our problems are
found from within.
“He is a neighbour; he can only recommend but will never solve our
problems. We have to sort out our mess.”

Lawyer Obert Gutu said Ramaphosa’s visit to Zimbabwe is more important
in more ways than one. “Ramaphosa is Mnangagwa’s ally. You don’t need
to be a rocket scientist to appreciate that both leaders enjoy a cosy
political relationship. Africa doesn’t want to be perceived as a
puppet of either the West or the East. As such, solidarity amongst key
African countries is crucial in modern international relations,” said Gutu V.2784

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