An open letter to Home Affairs

Source: Iol, 24/08/2016

Razia van der Schuur wonders what games Home Affairs are playing after
her husband`s application for Temporary Residence Visa was rejected
four times in two years.


Dear Director General Hilda Dlamini of Home Affairs
Please can you help us understand why the application for Temporary
Residence Visa for my husband Christian van der Schuur was rejected
once again, for the fourth time in 2 years.


This after all legal documents were submitted which indicated that he
is legally married (now for 5 years), legally and biologically the
father of a 4-year-old child and legally (was until 3 months ago when
you deported him unjustifiably) an employee of IBM for 10 years with a
tax number.


My child was forced to live without her father for two months - and
now suffers from anxiety everytime her father is not in her sight.


You have rejected many applications and many appeals, all
for different reasons - none of which makes sense.


After the ridiculous expense of a lawyer, you had asked him to come
back to SA and apply again but then rejected his application right
after.


What games are your trying to play? We have been told by many that if
we pay amounts between R10 000 to R100 000 back door, we'd get our
visa within a week. I have proof that a few people I know have
received successful outcomes by bribing your home affairs officials.



My question is: why must we bribe your officials with ridiculous
amounts of money to get a valid visa when I as a South African citizen
have a right to a husband, and my child who is a South African, has a
right to a father? My husband who had contributed towards your
economic growth has a right to a job which you allowed him in the
country to do as a special skills person. Why must we also pay
thousands of rands to re-apply each and every time you reject us? What
do you expect to happen now? Must my husband go back to his country
and leave us behind? Will you help pay my rent, pay for my child's
school fees, medical aid, provide us with food and basic needs? Will
you help take care of my child in the absence of her father? Will you
come and wipe her tears when she cries for him every night?


Please tell me what you expect to happen now.


Nhlanhla Dlamini told us to re-apply and hope that the outcome would
change using the same documents we used as before and following the
same procedure. Does this makes sense to you? I await your reply.



Please can my people share this until it reaches Hilda Dlamini. She
needs to answer my questions.
Razia van der Schuur