Andrew Stegmann

South Africa to Get Limited Edition R25 Natura Series Dinosaur Coin in 2020

Finance minister, Tito Mboweni recently confirmed that a new 2020 Natura series collectible coin will be released in South Africa next year and it features nothing other than dinosaurs!

The South African Mint, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), reports that a new chapter in the award-winning Natura series began with the introduction of the paleontology theme in 2018, in recognition of South Africa’s significance to this field and study of plant and animal fossils.

The first installment of the paleontology-themed 24ct gold coins focused on ‘Rise of the dinosaurs – Archosauria, and as a response to popular demand, the SA Mint released the very first silver Natura coin under this theme in 2019.

Now, SA Mint is proud to introduce the 2020 silver Natura coin, the second-ever silver coin to join the Natura series.

This coin also focuses on the ‘Rise of the dinosaurs – Archosauria’ theme and bears the same image as the 2018 1oz 24ct gold coin – the Coelophysis rhodesiensis.

R25 coin

This R25 fine-silver coin features the Coelophysidae which were highly successful primitive theropod dinosaurs that lived worldwide from the late Triassic to early Jurassic.

Coelophysis rhodesiensis, a small, agile dinosaur which preyed on small animals, inhabited South Africa and Zimbabwe during the early part of the Jurassic period. This slenderly built, bipedal dinosaur grew up to 3 m long and weighed about 32 kg.

The coin will be a limited edition with only 50 000 coins being made.

Common obverse

The obverse depicts the fossilised skull, neck and shoulder of an Erythrosuchus africanus. The words ‘Rise of the dinosaurs’, ‘Archosauria’ and the year 2020 as roman numerals ‘MMXX’ complete the obverse design.

Earlier this year, SA Mint released the SA25 themed coin range under the series ‘Celebrating South Africa’.

“2019 marks a monumental 25 years of Constitutional Democracy for the nation of South Africa,” said SA Mint. “To reinvigorate national pride, the South African Mint released the SA25 themed coin range under the series ‘Celebrating South Africa”. SA Mint went on to develop the range, “giving everyone an opportunity to reflect on our diverse identity as a country”.

 

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

Sources: [1], [2], [3]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann

Visa Changes Coming to South Africa

The Department of Home Affairs is working on a number of changes to South Africa’s visa regime, in an effort to make the country more accessible for visitors, investors and people with skills that are critical to building the economy.

Presenting at the monthly Presidential Working Committee on Monday (7 October), Home Affairs minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said that his department has lowered turnaround times for critical work skills visas, which are now issued within four weeks in 88.5% of applications.

By comparison, business and general work visas are issued within eight weeks in 98% of applications.

“In November, the Department of Home Affairs will embark on a pilot scheme for the issuing of e-visas, which applicants will be able to access online, eliminating the need for applicants to visit South African missions abroad.

“The department has also located visa services within the offices of various investment facilitation agencies around the country.

“In addition, visa requirements have been simplified for countries such as China and India, which are key markets for tourism to South Africa,” he said.

New countries can now visit South Africa visa-free

Motsoaledi added that the government also recently waived visas for travelers from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, New Zealand, Cuba, Ghana and Sao Tome and Principe.

In July, a spokesperson told BusinessTech that the Department of Home Affairs will also enter into talks with their counterparts in a number of countries to allow visa-free access for South African travelers.

While countries such as Qatar and Ghana already have visa-free or visa on arrival agreements with South Africa, it would be considered a serious boon if South Africans could travel visa-free to countries such as the UAE and New Zealand.

Department spokesperson Siya Qoza said that Home Affairs was currently in talks with these countries on two main issues.

“We have entered negotiations with these countries with the first priority being an implementation date for visa-free access to South Africa.

“Once this has been confirmed, our second priority is reciprocity.”

Qoza said that initial conversations held with these countries have been positive, with talks expected to be concluded by September.

He added that Home Affairs may expand these negotiations to other countries.

“We are consistently looking at which countries would be of a trade and tourism benefit to South Africa,” he said.

 

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

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

Andrew Stegmann

New South African Marriage Policies Being Discussed

The South African Home Affairs Department has kick started discussions to align the country’s current marriage laws with the Constitution.

“We are starting a process to modernise our marriage laws to ensure that they adhere to the principles of the Constitution, which enjoins us to ensure that the State does not unfairly discriminate against any citizen,” said Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.

Currently, marriages in the country are governed by three laws all of which discriminate against some citizens.

These laws are contained in The Marriage Act 25 of 1961, The Recognition of Customary Marriages Act 120 of 1998 and The Civil Unions Act 17 of 2006.

Largely influenced by religion, the laws in relation to marriage prejudice certain segments of people and contravene the Constitution.

Current legislation does not regulate some religious marriages such as the Hindu, Muslim and other customary marriages that are practiced in some African or royal families.

The Recognition of Customary Marriages Act does not make provision for entering into a polygamous marriage with non-citizens. This poses a serious challenge when such marriages are entered into especially among the community members who are members of the same clan but are separated by a borderline.

The legislation does not make provision for couples who change their sex status but want to retain their marital status.

While in terms of the African tradition, chiefs or traditional leaders have a recognised role in the conclusion of a customary marriage; the legislation does not extend a similar responsibility to traditional leaders.

In light of this, government has sought to do away with the discrimination by crafting a new marriage policy.

It is envisaged that the new marriage policy will be taken to Cabinet, in March 2021, for approval after an extensive public consultation process has been undertaken.

 

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

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

Andrew Stegmann

Home Affairs Umgeni Staff Commended

This letter was written by D Boardwin, and sent to Berea Mail.

My passport expired on 19 June and I had to renew both my partner’s and mine simultaneously.

After having read so many negative comments about Home Affairs I was pretty apprehensive about going through the process and this is where my whole perception of Home Affairs changed.We visited the Home Affairs in Umgeni Road on Tuesday, 13 August at 8.30am and by 10.30am we were out with the 100 others before us. This they achieved notwithstanding being short of one camera,which is the most time consuming part of the process. The staff were very courteous and very organised and efficient.

The only negative comment I have to make is in respect of some people who sat in the queue of seats just moaning every step of the way – of the 100 or so there were four or five at the most who just couldn’t handle sharing the queue with anyone else. I guessed that this small minority were spoilt in the past (prior 1994) and that should explain everything.

On Monday, 19 August, four working days after I applied, I received an SMS informing me that the passports were ready for collection. At 11.45am we entered the Home Affairs Collections Division and by 12pm we were back in our car.

Need I say more – I believe that South Africans must accept that things have changed and its time for them to change with the times.

Home Affairs Umgeni Offices have my vote of confidence. We need to be more supportive and positive. Churchill once said that “if you nothing good to say, then don’t say anything.”

 

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

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