All of South Africa’s ports of entry remain closed to travellers
with only goods being traded and medical emergencies granting
permission to enter or exit the country.
Desperate Lesotho citizens jump border
Lesotho is entirely encompassed by South Africa, meaning the
mountain kingdom has been sealed off from the outside world.
Widespread testing has not been possible inside the country but
they did institute a lockdown which remains in effect.
Lesotho citizens working in South Africa have been left stranded
in the country, but the opening of the interprovincial blockade
saw a rush of border jumpers attempting dangerous border jump to
return to their homes and families.
Many of the border jumpers reportedly made their way to the
Eastern Cape from the winelands and crossed into Lesotho by
ferrying over the Tele River into Lesotho border town Quthing.
Still, others are entering through the Free State town of Wepener,
where the border is not reinforced by significant natural
barriers.
Last week South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi
announced a mass repatriation of citizens of Lesotho, Zimbabwe and
other neighbouring states. Some of that large group were in South
Africa illegally and were being held at the Lindela Repatriation
Centre near

Krugersdorp.
There were 95 Lesotho citizens in the group of more than 700
repatriated from Lindela with the majority headed to Zimbabwe.
The Lesotho border jumpers say they are desperate to return home
as they can no longer support themselves in South Africa.
Residents of Lesotho who are in South Africa legally, may remain
in South Africa without applying for additional paperwork until at
least 15 June 2020 according to a Home Affairs announcement made
in April.
Citizens of neighbouring states may not simply leave SA
“During the lockdown, except for cases relating to expatriation
initiated by another state, all foreign nationals who are
currently in South Africa may not depart,” the department of home
affairs notified in April.
The department of home affairs have barred foreign nationals who
are in South Africa from leaving the country outside of official
repatriation and deportation efforts.
After receiving 95 citizens repatriated from South Africa this
week, it is unclear if the government of Lesotho has any intention
of engaging in further efforts to bring any of its people in South
Africa and neighbouring states back to their home.
www.samigration.com V.3057

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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