Andrew Stegmann
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How to Save Time and Get Your South African Smart ID and Passport at a Bank Branch

With lines at Department of Home Affairs offices around South Africa often being long, more citizens would be wise to know about another option for obtaining their Smart IDs, or renewing their passports.

The four major banks in SA – Standard Bank, FNB, Nedbank, and ABSA – offer ID and passport services at a number of their branches. By arranging an appointment online, through eHomeAffairs, you can skip the lines, and process everything at your bank.

The process

  1. Create an account on the DHA’s eHomeAffairs website.
  2. Capture your application.
  3.  Attach your supporting documents.
  4. Make payment.
  5. Schedule your appointment.

eHomeAffairs allows you to save your application progress, and come back to complete it at a later stage.

A bank branch visit is mandatory for the capture and verification of your biometric detail (photos, fingerprints, and signature). You will not be required to go to a Home Affairs office at any point.

Participating bank branches

This service is not available at all bank branches, nor is it available in all cities in South Africa. For a list of participating branches, click here.

Below is a list of current bank branches that support this process.

And below here is a list of scheduled bank branches that aim to support this process.

To find out more about the South African Smart ID card, click here. And for a how-to guide to arrange an appointment at your bank branch, click here. If, for whatever reason, you would prefer to get your Smart ID from a Home Affairs office, you can find a list of Smart ID-capable branches here.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
,

FNB and Fetola Launch Hotline to Give Entrepreneurs Advice

FNB and Fetola have partnered to launch the Mentor Hotline, a free, rapid response platform that gives entrepreneurs easy access to a variety of industry experts.

The launch of the platform is in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and national lockdown.

The Mentor Hotline pairs entrepreneurs with a network of volunteer specialists, based on the required skill set for the entrepreneur’s specific challenge. It aims to help entrepreneurs to stabilise, identify new growth opportunities and rebuild in the context of radical uncertainty and a challenging economy.

More than 600 businesses on the Mentor Hotline requesting business advice, it is clear that businesses need assistance during these uncertain times.

The hotline will give young entrepreneurs to access technical or specialist advice, draw their attention to common mistakes or pitfalls, or simply act as a sounding board for new ideas.

Mentor Hotline is a simple-to-use online platform that provides support to all business types across South Africa, from small start-ups to established concerns.

The Mentor Hotline, which is owned and fully administered by Fetola, is a complementary service to Fetola’s traditional mentorship service, which focuses on longer-term relationships between entrepreneur and mentor.

Heather Lowe, SME Development Head for FNB Business, describes the pressing need that led to the creation “During the initial Covid-19 lockdown we found that most entrepreneurs were simply overwhelmed by the circumstances they found themselves in”.

“We also found that many experienced entrepreneurs and mentors who were not able to work during the lockdown period were very willing to assist on a pro bono basis to help these other entrepreneurs navigate the direct impact the pandemic had on their businesses. Together with Fetola and other partners we found that we could work collectively to get a very relevant form of help to SMEs during a time when quick actions were of the essence,” added Lowe.

Catherine Wijnberg, Fetola’s Founder and Director, said, “The Mentor Hotline is currently in what we’re calling a ‘beta phase’. Its longevity will be dependent on crafting a model that doesn’t depend entirely on volunteers, and which addresses ongoing needs post-Covid-19. We have been blown away by the sense of wanting to contribute to help others succeed, especially in this time of crisis. Truly shows the incredibly heart-warming quality of our society”.

The current phase of the Mentor Hotline will run until the end of December 2020. For more details, and to access the Mentor Hotline, visit the Fetola website and select “Mentor Hotline” from the top navigation bar.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
,

Relocation Africa’s Ghanaian Immigration Interview: November 2020

Our Immigration Lead, Lynn Mackenzie, recently had the pleasure of speaking to Paa, our Ghanaian immigration partner, about Ghana’s current immigration landscape.

To listen to Lynn and Paa’s conversation about immigration in the current context, click here to view the recording, or view it below.

We would like to say a huge thank you to Paa for his insights. We hope you enjoy the recording.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

 

Andrew Stegmann
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US Firm Aims to Build a Nuclear Power Plant in South Africa

The future of South Africa’s energy supply could be shaped by a cash injection from the United States of America. The government, in their ongoing discussions with NEDLAC and foreign investors, has entertained the idea of letting an international development firm finance and build a new nuclear power plant in South Africa.

As Bloomberg has confirmed, The US International Development Finance Corp (DFC) has signed a letter of intent to support plans laid out by NuScale, an American technology group that are ready to kick on with this project.

Amongst the billions of dollars they’ve pledged to South Africa, a ‘secure, reliable energy supply through the construction of new nuclear plants’ is their major priority.

The DFC released a statement last week, confirming that they would be pioneering in their ambitious blueprint. Should a new nuclear plant get the green light, this would be the first IPP funded by the USA throughout the whole of Africa.

“If the United States International Development Finance Corp is successful, NuScale would be the first U.S. nuclear energy IPP on the continent and would help support energy resilience and security in one of Africa’s leading economies.”

– Statement from the DFC

It’s understood that the DFC would go further than just building a new nuclear power plant in South Africa. It’s reported that their investment would plough billions into private infrastructure and public transport ‘between now and 2022’:

  • The construction of a billion-rand plant tops their agenda, providing a further 2 500 megawatts of power in South Africa.
  • The DFC has signed a letter of intent to support NuScale’s bid for South Africa’s independent power producer program.
  • The draft envisages R23 billion ($1.4 billion) being allocated to galvanize private investment in infrastructure.
  • A further R4.5 billion would be spent on public transport development over the next 12 months.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].