Andrew Stegmann

South African Department of Home Affairs Update Issued

DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, JUNE 10TH 2020.

Lynn Mackenzie, J.D., LLM

Dr. Pakishe Aaron Motsoaledi, the Minister of Home Affairs in South Africa, has issued the following directions in Government Gazette No. 43162, Government Notice No. 416 of 26 March 2020, as amended by Government Notice No. R. 518 of 9 May 2020, hereby, in terms of regulation 4(8), read with regulation 4(10) of the Regulations made in terms of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002) and published in Government Gazette No. 43258, Government Notice No. 480 of 29 April 2020, as amended by Government Notice No. 608 of 28 May 2020;

  1. TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FOR CITIZENS AND PERMANENT RESIDENTS

South African citizens have been advised to, for the duration of the national disaster;

(a) Refrain from non-essential travel to high risk countries; and
(b) Exercise caution in relation to any other travel outside the Republic.

15.2 A South African citizen contemplated in regulation 41(2)(d) of the Regulations who, at own cost and subject to the capacity available on international flights permitted for evacuation and repatriation, intends to travel to his or her place of employment, study or residence outside of the Republic must provide the Department of Home Affairs, at least five working days in advance of the intended date of travel, with –

(a) a copy of his or her valid South African passport;
(b) a letter of confirmation of admissibility or the validity of the visa or permit,
Issued by the relevant diplomatic or consular mission or authority of the receiving country;

(c) Where transiting through another country, proof of permission to transit through such country; and
(d) Proof of the means of travel and the intended date of departure,
The Department when considering the request to leave the Republic may authenticate the information.

15.3 A South African citizen or a permanent resident who, for any reason, has been outside the Republic during the period of the national state of disaster must for purposes of admission, upon his or her return to the Republic, be subjected to such prescribed screening or examination procedure as the immigration officer, in consultation with a port health official or medical practitioner, may determine, and must be referred for isolation or quarantine, as the case may be.”

17E. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS UNDER ALERT LEVEL 3

The Department of Home Affairs will render the following additional services during Alert Level 3 of the period of the national state of disaster, in addition to the services mentioned in paragraph 17D:

(a) Late registration of birth; and
(b) Solemnization and registration of marriages”.

DECLARATION OF UNDESIRABILITY

21.1 A person whose visa has expired from 15 March 2020 and has remained in the Republic during the period of the national state of disaster will not be declared an undesirable person in terms of the Immigration Act, 2002 upon leaving the Republic during the period of the national state of disaster up to and including 31 July 2020.

21.2 Any declaration of undesirability that has been issued to any person who departed the Republic on or after 15 March 2020 is hereby set aside.

The content of this document is provided for general information purposes. The provision of this document does not constitute legal
advice or opinion of any kind; no advisory or fiduciary relationship is created between Relocation Africa and any other person
accessing or using this document. Relocation Africa will not be liable for any damages or loss arising from using any part of
this document.

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

New DHA Directive: Latest Travel Rules for South African Lock-down

The Department of Home Affairs has published a new directive focusing on travel restrictions during South Africa’s coronavirus lockdown.

The directive amends the country’s earlier lockdown regulations to allow for international travel in specific circumstances – including the return of a South African national or permanent resident to his or her place of employment, study or residence, outside of the country.

The directive states that these citizens must do so at their own cost and flights are subject to capacity.

It also notes that the citizen must, at least five working days in advance of the intended date of travel, provide the Department of Home Affairs with the following documentation:

  • A copy of his or her valid South African passport;
  • A letter of confirmation of admissibility or the validity of the visa or permit, issued by the relevant diplomatic or consular mission or authority of the receiving country;
  • Where transiting through another country, proof of permission to transit through such country;
  • Proof of the means of travel and the intended date of departure.

The directive further states that South African citizen or a permanent resident who, for any reason, has been outside the republic during the period of the national state of disaster must for purposes of admission be subjected to such prescribed screening or examination procedure.

Other changes

The directive also introduces a number other Home Affairs changes including:

  • Home Affairs offices will now allow for the late registration of birth and solemnisation and registration of marriages;
  • The owner or person in charge of a vehicle being used for transport outside of South Africa must provide a full manifest;
  • Extension of validity for asylum seeker permits;
  • Provision for people in South Africa on an expired visa.

You can read the full directive 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

Mobile Operator MTN Plans to Launch 5G Services in South Africa by End June

MTN has confirmed to Business Insider South Africa that it is launching its 5G network in major cities “across the country” but the exact locations are still “confidential”.

To date, only Vodacom has a 5G network in more than one region, as it is active in Cape Town, as well as Johannesburg and Pretoria. Data-only network Rain is only available in Gauteng.

The company announced this week that it is planning on launching its own 5G network at the end of the month.

MTN had initially planned to launch at the start of June, but encountered “delays in bringing some equipment into the country.”

The company has also confirmed that, like Vodacom, it will be using emergency spectrum allocated by the government to provide 5G services. In April the government allowed access to some of the radio frequency spectrum best suited to 5G on an emergency basis to help fight Covid-19. The allocation is to help the operators cope with demand. The catch is that operators only get access until November, or until the end of the state of emergency.

The company has, as yet, not indicated how it will offer 5G services that are not using the emergency spectrum allocation.

MTN outed itself in the latest issue of its Y’Ello magazine, in which it is running a promotion for 5G connectivity using Huawei’s recently launched line of P40 smartphones. Along with the LG ThinQ, these are currently the only smartphones in the country capable of using 5G services.

Technically, the pricey Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra also uses 5G, but Vodacom and MTN have not indicated whether they will support it.*

The big mobile operators have been struggling for years to get permission to use the parts of the radio spectrum best suited for 5G. The government is due to auction off blocks of the spectrum later this year.

Only two networks, Vodacom and Rain, have been able to offer 5G services, and both have achieved it by working around government regulations.

Vodacom recently announced a deal with Liquid Telecom to use their 5G network. Liquid owns the parts of the spectrum that formerly belonged to Neotel. In the case of Rain, they’re repurposing the parts of the spectrum formerly used by iBurst after they bought parent company WBS.

This article was updated to reflect MTN’s confirmation of offering 5G services across the country, the use of emergency spectrum, and the availability of another 5G-capable phone in SA, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra.

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

International Travel Provision Made for South Africans

Courtesy of Lynn Mackenzie, J.D., LLM

South Africans, under strict regulations, may now embark on International Travel. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) confirmed on May 23rd 2020, that such international travel is only permitted for the following purposes;

  1. Work
  2. Study
  3. Family reunion
  4. Take up permanent residency
  5. Receive medical attention

In order for South Africans to be approved for international travel, they must satisfy the following requirements;

  • A copy of a valid South African passport;
  • A letter from the country you will be travelling to confirming your admissibility, permission for transiting countries
  • Proof of means of travel and the intended date of departure.

Furthermore, should a group require international travel approval, one Department of Home Affairs application can be utilized, however supporting documentation must be submitted for each member of the group.

Currently, the approval process is unclear, however the expectation reins that the usual DHA processing protocols would be adhered to.

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].

The content of this document is provided for general information purposes. The provision of this document does not constitute legal
advice or opinion of any kind; no advisory or fiduciary relationship is created between Relocation Africa and any other person
accessing or using this document. Relocation Africa will not be liable for any damages or loss arising from using any part of
this document.