The court has ruled that the Department of Home Affairs acted unconstitutionally in withdrawing the exemption permits to Zimbabweans.
The high court in Pretoria has ruled the Department of Home Affairs’ decision to summarily withdraw the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit unlawful, unconstitutional and invalid.
Permit holders will now have another 12 months to remain in South Africa without fear of reprisal or arrest as the court orders the department to conduct a proper public participation process as required by law.
The high court said the department had not adhered to the requirements of the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (Paja). Section 4(1) of the act says that where an administrative decision “materially and adversely affects the rights of the public” an administrator owes a duty of fairness to the public at large. This would include the administrator holding public hearings or obtaining written comments.
“Our Constitutional Court held recently in e.tv (Pty) Limited vs Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies that, where a decision is ‘not a mechanical determination’ and ‘important interests are at stake, it is not procedurally rational to take a decision without notice to the affected parties to obtain their views on the matter.”
The Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) first came into existence in 2009 and was extended several times by Home

Affairs. In September 2021, the department decided to terminate the ZEP regime and announced that decision in November 2021. This was just a month before the expiry of the latest permits. The department announced that ZEP-holders would be given a 12-month grace period following the expiry of the document, but they were not given an opportunity to give input to the decision. Civil society groups were also not called on to comment.
The court said it found the department had a “notable disdain for the value of public participation”.
“Indeed, it is presumed that the ZEP holders are capable only of making representations on why the Minister’s decision should not apply to them personally and not on the merits of the decision itself. While the views of civil society and the public are deemed unnecessary all together,” the court said.
The high court ordered that the ZEP holders should continue to have the protection of the permits for 12 months while the department conducts a “fair process”. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi should then make a revised decision that properly considers public inputs, in line with Paja.
The department has been ordered to pay the legal fees in the case.
Judge Gcina Malindi and acting judge Mlandenkosi Motha concurred with the judgment. DM V.4881

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