The Dube Trade Port Special Economic Zone says this will hamper international air services into the region.
KwaZulu-Natal`s Dube Trade Port Special Economic Zone on Monday said airline company British Airways` decision to cancel the direct flight route between Durban and London will hamper the growth of international air services into the region post-Covid-19.
`As a route development committee, we understand the reasoning behind British Airways’ decision. The impact of Covid-19 and subsequent travel restrictions globally have resulted in low anticipated demand. It is therefore not unreasonable that an airline like British Airways reduces the routes in its network,” said Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone CEO Hamish Erskine.
According to reports, the airline company is set to suspend direct flights to 13 destinations in light of the decreased demand due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
As of 28 March, 2021, flights between the United Kingdom and the following destinations will halt: Durban, Pittsburg (USA), Charleston (USA), Calgary (Canada), Lima (Peru), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Osaka (Japan), Seoul (Republic of Korea), Dammam (Saudi Arabia), Abu Dhabi (UAE), and Muscat (Oman).
KZN MEC for economic development, Ravi Pillay, said he was confident that the route would be restored post-Covid-19.“Our social and economic links to the UK are enduring. This will translate itself into continued demand for flights between Durban and London for tourism, trade and visits to friends and family,` said Pillay.
`British Airways’ decision should be seen in the

broader context of an organisation that has worked hard to keep flying despite the pandemic affecting its entire global operations. This organisation has had to make extraordinary sacrifices, letting go of some 12 000 staff and retiring 31 aircraft. Meanwhile, the UK has just emerged from its second lockdown which has meant there simply aren`t that many people flying at the moment,” he added.
On Sunday Business Insider reported that multiple countries had announced that they will be closing their borders to the UK over fears of a fast-spreading variant of Covid-19 which is believed to be up to 70% more transmissible than the original strain. In order to stop its spread, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that London and surrounding areas would suddenly be plunged into lockdown
Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines has also suspended its two weekly flights to Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban for the December-January holiday season in light of the pandemic. Erskine said he was confident the province would survive as other airlines had expanded their routes.
“From a Durban direct route development committees’ perspective, we are confident in the resilience of the KwaZulu-Natal markets and their ability to sustain direct air services between Durban and London. Pre-Covid-19, British Airways experienced very strong load factors which were a testament to the demand for the route, supported by cargo volumes that were almost at capacity.
www.samigration.com V.3369

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.

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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.

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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.

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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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