Primrose Modisane, denied South African citizenship, fights decade-long battle for identity documentation and recognition.
A Gauteng-based woman has been living a life of squalor because she does not have an identity document Primrose Modisane, 36, from Vosloorus in Ekurhuleni, claims she has tried in vain to convince the department of home affairs to issue her documentation as they kept on demanding endless proof that she was South African.
Modisane was born in Zimbabwe, but her maternal family is in South Africa and she was brought to the country as an infant.
Based on matrilineal descent traced back to the matriarch of the family, Modisane and her mother, Phumulani Tshuma, are South African citizens by birth.
Asked to take DNA test

Modisane, whose South African grandmother relocated to Zimbabwe in the early ’50s said in 2016, as well as in 2021, home affairs officials told her she must undergo a DNA test to prove that she is indeed a granddaughter of the South African-born, fully documented Barbara Modisane.

She did undergo the tests and went back to the home affairs. “The officials accused me of reporting my case to lawyers and were reluctant to assist me. It has been more than 10 years since I started to push the department for my documents. This has affected me so badly that I even failed to complete my studies.

“I started my education in Vosloorus at Rebontsheng Primary School and later went to Masithwalisane Secondary School but dropped out in Grade 11 because they wanted me to produce an ID card or birth certificate. The only job I got

after that was as a domestic worker.”

The mother of two said her two daughters have managed to obtain birth certificates but her name was not included on their birth certificates as she is still struggling to obtain an ID card.

Last year, she was in and out of the department’s offices in Boksburg, Germiston and Johannesburg without any resolution, until she went to the Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR), who is currently handling her case.

LHR head of the stateless unit Thandeka Chauke said: “We confirm that we act on behalf of our client Primrose Modisane, who has been battling to have her South African citizenship recognised and to obtain documentation for over a decade.

“Her mother, Ms Phumulani Tshuma, suffered the same ordeal and relentlessly pursued their registration until her untimely death in 2023.

“These continuous obstacles, unfulfilled promises by the department, and lack of resolution have left Modisane in a state of limbo. She has been effectively rendered stateless in her own country, deprived of citizenship, dignity, and other human rights.

“This case presents a distressing narrative of the intergenerational struggle for recognition and belonging, characterised by severe administrative obstructionism.”

Chauke said last month the LHR wrote to the department asking them to attend to the matter urgently, but to no avail. Home affairs spokesperson Siyabulela Qoza did not comment. V.5438

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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