After interviews, Machimana declined the application. In a letter,
the Ambassador of South Africa in Vietnam â€` Mpetjane Kgaogelo
Lekgoro â€` stated that he agreed with Machimana’s decision. But he
also said that her decision had been overruled.
“However, in view of the instructions received from the department
of home affairs, I requested and instructed Ms Machimana to issue
the visa.
While I agreed that her decision was correct, a mandated authority
had now issued an instruction,” reads the letter.
Based on numerous emails leaked to the Mail & Guardian, it seems
that after Machimana made her decision â€` but before communicating
it in writing to the department of home affairs â€` she was asked to
rescind it. In the emails, she is asked why she has not executed
the outcome of an appeal conducted by the department of home
affairs.
On August 23, a regional co-ordinator for the department of home
affairs, Veronica Loving, wrote to Machimana, asking why an appeal
outcome conducted by the department had not been executed for the
American International School.
Machimana responded, stating that she had been threatened by Sihle
Dumakude, an official of the school, who called her on August 20
and “informed me that he will report me to Home Affairs officials
he knows so that the appeal process can be set aside and the
application can be processed”. She also pointed out that the
applicant was not a Vietnamese national and did not have a long-
term visa to be in Vietnam, so could not apply in that country to
go to South Africa.
In another letter, to the ambassador in Vietnam, Machimana said
the Filipino national was applying for a visitor’s visa, while her
intention was to work in South Africa.
When the M&G sent questions to the school about the alleged
threat, which were also sent to Dumakude, it said: “We are
confident that our visa applications made to secure new teacher
employment are compliant with the laws and regulations stipulated
by home affairs and relevant visa

authorities.”
It added that: “School employees may at times, if required, liaise
on the phone with representatives within this process for
clarification and follow-up purposes, which is standard practice.”
When contacted, Machimana refused to comment â€` stating that she
will await the decision of her department.
But it seems she has no department to answer to.
When Clayson Monyela, the spokesperson for the department of
international relations and co-operation, and David j,
spokesperson for the department of home affairs, were contacted,
both said Machimana was not their employee.
Meanwhile, in a letter written by ambassador Lekgoro and dated
August 29, he states that he met with Machimana, who is charged
with migration matters at the embassy, to clarify and confirm the
situation around the issuing of a visa to the Filipino national.
“Machimana explained that she had received a visa application …
and based on the relevant rules and requirements refused the
application,” Lekgoro wrote.
“Machimana was contacted by an immigration agent in South Africa.
The agent indicated that he would take up the matter with the
responsible director in the department of home affairs. Based on
the rules and requirements I considered her decision to have been
sound.”
Hlabane, the spokesperson for home affairs, said the department
could not answer questions about Machimana as she is not an
employee of the department. These questions were also sent to
Loving, who did not respond.
“Home affairs will investigate allegations against its official
[Loving] in foreign office co-ordination, and any evidence in this
regard will assist our internal investigation,” Hlabane said.
Neither department would provide answers as to what processes must
be followed for a foreign national to be granted a visa to work in
South Africa.
www.samigration.com V.2977

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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