South Africa has completely fallen under the spell of Russia, China, and their satellites. Once, we were a reliable international partner, respectful of the international rules-based order, but that has now all changed, argues Pieter du Toit.
South Africa`s unhinged foreign policy unmoored from logic and reality, that is reached new levels of incomprehension last week during another vote related to Ukraine.
The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for closer cooperation between the global body and the Council of Europe, an organisation established after the Second World War to protect and promote human rights. The text of the vote contained a paragraph in which it condemned `the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, and against Georgia prior to that`, and proceeded to emphasise the importance of human rights.
Out of the countries present, 122 voted yes, five voted no and 18 abstained. Surprisingly �` but correctly �` China, India and Brazil, all who have been either vocal in their support of Russia (or refused to condemn the invasion), voted yes.
South Africa, as has become its wont, abstained, alongside other countries which either abstained or voted no, like North Korea, Iran, Nicaragua, Russia (obviously), Belarus, and Cuba. All countries with an atrocious human rights record, on the periphery of global affairs, removed from any influence, and none considered an attractive investment destination.
But here we are, South Africa, aligned with these actors and further telling those countries that matter �` countries that have actual skin in the game �` to sod off. South Africa, is the refrain, will not be dictated to who its friends are. And Russia is a friend, as Naledi Pandor, our foreign affairs minister, has repeatedly said.
Tone has changed
Western diplomats in this country have basically given up on us. Initially, when our push to Beijing and Moscow was at its most earnest, they really tried to understand and even accommodate our drift towards totalitarian and repressive states. One senior envoy even said it won`t damage relations with our big trading partners and that it’s all part of global realignment that happens periodically. And anyway, he argued, good sense always prevails in the end. But that tone has now changed.
It is clear that South Africa, forever kvetching about what it is owed by the West, has taken an

antagonistic position towards its historic partners, simply for the stake of sticking it to Europe and the United States. And diplomats now recognise that, increasingly looking at what we say and how we conduct ourselves on the world stage with a shake of the head and a laugh. `What are you guys doing?` is the regular question.
South Africa, by deed and omission, has now firmly established itself as an intransigent friend of despots and dictators. It regularly welcomes Russian craft and military materiel to these shores, absolutely adores the attention by scoundrels like Sergei Lavrov (Pandor was giddy with excitement to meet him), and sees it fit to berate countries that actively invest in and support South Africa.
We have all of a sudden developed an enormous sense of entitlement, an attitude that has not gone unnoticed abroad. Meetings between South African ministers and counterparts from countries we now regard as adversaries �` despite those countries continuing to invest billions of dollars here �` are, as a matter of course, prefaced by declarations about what `the West owes us`.
One senior diplomat, from a country with deep historical ties to us, laughed when talking about getting some face time with the president or Pandor. It doesn`t happen, the plenipotentiary explained. Requests often go unacknowledged or are sneered at by South African officials, with many countries from `the West` regularly sidelined or ignored.
South Africa`s foreign policy is childish, self-defeating, and unsophisticated. It seemingly makes no provision for the sweep of history since World War 2, nor does it stay true to the human rights tenets in our Constitution. It certainly does not have the presence of mind to adapt to the changing geopolitical environment, nor does our government and its officials have the dexterity to reconcile principle with national interest.
We`ve completely fallen under the spell of Russia, China, and their satellites. Once, we were a reliable international partner, respectful of the international rules-based order, respected for our moral and ethical positions and sober-minded about which relationships we should invest time and effort in.
That`s now over. We`re now with the also-rans. What a pity. V.4820

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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