Andrew Stegmann

SA Immigration Changes Gradually Progressing in DHA

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has bemoaned red tape and a ministerial revolving door that make it difficult to push through policy changes.

Gigaba, who himself has been public enterprises minister, home affairs minister and finance minister, before moving back to the home affairs portfolio, told a Black Business Council (BBC) roundtable in Sandton on Friday: “The biggest problem the ANC needs to address is that a vision can’t be carried by an individual but needs to be carried by an institution. The vision must be sustainable even if the individuals aren’t sustainable.”

In references to the various cabinet reshuffles in the past few years, he said: “We don’t even know whether we’re still going to be here to carry out these visions.”

While the Department of Home Affairs had ambitious plans to make the department completely paperless, to review critical skills work permits and to manage SA’s borders, it was difficult to make changes, he said.

“The immigration act couldn’t deal with a number of challenges, we need a new policy framework,” he said.

“Red tape makes it difficult for decisions to move speedily. To get something approved takes over a year. Things that need to move quickly, take forever.”

Critical skills

One of the problems that needed to be addressed was that students from other countries who study scarce skills in SA are then lost to the workforce because they struggle to get documentation allowing them to stay.

“The manner in which the last white paper was drafted, didn’t allow us to attract critical skills. Students who studied critical skills here would leave and we would lose those skills,” said Gigaba.

Changes that are in the works would allow students to skip certain stages to get permanent residence immediately, he said.

A new white paper on immigration was passed in 2017 but implementation will take the next two years.

It is intended to make criteria for immigration clearer, and make it easier to apply and submit documentation.

Criteria for permanent residents to acquire citizenship will also be made clearer.

It also aims to create a clearer distinction between the citizenship process and the refugee regime, and to create a more durable refugee system.

“We are also looking at introducing long-term visas for low-skilled migrants from the Southern African Development Community region,” Gigaba said.

“It will … provide them with documentation and ensure they are integrated into society.”

Gigaba said economic migrants abused the asylum-seeker system instead of seeking regularization.

 

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: Sunita Menon via BusinessDay [1]. Image sources: [1].

Andrew Stegmann

Using and Converting Foreign Drivers Licenses in South Africa

Please note that we are not able to assist with license conversions of any kind. This article is for information purposes only.

Moving to a new country is confusing enough, without also having to wonder whether or not you are driving around legally, using your existing license from overseas. Below, we provide some details about the legality of using your foreign license in South Africa, as well as how to go about converting it to a local license.

According to South Africa’s National Road Traffic Act, a drivers license issued in any country other than South Africa is valid to drive within SA if:

  • The foreign drivers license was issued on a date on which the holder thereof has not been permanently or ordinarily resident in SA. A person is ordinarily resident in SA if he/she is in SA on an extended visit of more than three months on a contract of employment (not just visiting). The permanent residence requirement does not apply to a holder of a diplomatic permit or a treaty permit.
  • The license is in English, or a translation of the license in English is attached to the license, or a certificate of authenticity or validity in English which was issued by a competent authority (e.g. the Embassy or Consulate) of the country concerned, is attached to the license. The legislation does not prescribe who should attach a translation or a certificate of authenticity or validity to a driving license, how it should be attached or when it should have been attached. The legislation also does not prescribe that the translation should state the capacity of vehicle the license authorizes. The code of the license does not necessarily relate to a South African license code, and therefore should describe the capacity of vehicle the license authorize.
  • The license contains or has attached thereto the photograph and signature of the holder thereof. The legislation does not prescribe who should attach a photograph and signature to a drivers license, how it should be attached or when it should have been attached. The rule of thumb here should be that if a license does not have the holder’s photograph or signature contained on it, some other formal document like a passport that contain the person’s photograph or signature should accompany the license.

The foreign drivers license will remain valid until an individual has been permanently resident in SA for a continuous period of 1 year. After this point, it is necessary to obtain a South African drivers license. Once you have been granted permanent residency in SA, you will need to convert your foreign license within 5 years. If this noes not occur, your license will no longer be valid.

Your foreign license will be converted if it is:

  • Valid.
  • Translated into one of the official South African languages.
  • Accompanied by a letter of validity obtained from the relevant embassy, and a translation, if the licence is not in an official language of South Africa.
  • Has your photo and signature.

To do the conversion, you will need to go to any driving license testing center in the province where you obtained your permanent residence, and complete the Application for exchange of a driving licence form (DL1).

The time-frame for exchanging the licence varies from one testing center to another, due to internal auditing processes. It is a good idea to call the center ahead of time to find out what the costs involved are, and when the best time of day will be to go (so as to avoid long queues).

For a list of what you will be required to submit, and links to South African municipalities for further information, click here.

 

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: Jessica Furtney on Unsplash [1].

Andrew Stegmann

Mercedes-Benz Announces €600mn Investment in South Africa

German luxury car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has announced a new €600mn (R9.5 billion) Investment in South Africa.

The Stuttgart-based marque will make its next generation C-Class sedan in the Eastern Cape city of East London, which will safeguard the existing jobs at the factory and contribute to growth in the region.

The plant, opened in 1958, currently employs 3 300 people and will be extended by two-thirds to accommodate new manufacturing capacity. The plant produced 110 000 vehicles in 2017.

“The announcement by Mercedes-Benz Cars to inject R10-billion into the South African economy signals the positive momentum we are making to realise the ambitious target of raising 1.2 trillion rand in new investment,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement issued by the car-maker.

The investment will come as a relief for Ramaphosa who came into office pledging an economic turnaround but has been buffeted by soaring living costs, a weak currency and dire growth and business confidence data.

Mercedes’ move “endorses South Africa as a favourable destination for investment,” said Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa, who replaced former president Jacob Zuma in February following nine years of ballooning national debt and unemployment and weak growth hopes to attract $100-billion of new foreign investment within five years.

Despite Tuesday’s announcement and a separate statement from Statistics South Africa revealing that employment increased by 56 000 in the first quarter of the year, the country still has unemployment in excess of 27%.

“The decision to have the new generation of the C-Class built in East London re-affirms the plant and Mercedes-Benz South Africa,” said Mercedes executive Markus Schaefer in the statement. “The investment is also a sign of our commitment to South Africa and efforts to revive economic growth.”

 

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

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: Nicolai Berntsen on Unsplash  [1].

Andrew Stegmann

Security Problems at Home Affairs Foreshore

Refugees and asylum seekers say that the Home Affairs offices on the Foreshore in Cape Town are more chaotic than ever since security vanished at the facility.

It is not unusual for refugees to experience poor service and mistreatment and to queue from 5am, but in the past week they say things have become even worse.

Asylum seekers come to renew their papers; refugees arrive to collect IDs, apply for passports and register children and relatives. But in the absence of security to show people which queue to join, people are left confused. There is also no one to maintain order in the queues or to prioritise mothers with babies and small children.

On Wednesday, GroundUp found no security at the main entrance. Usually security guards screen people on arrival. Inside the gate, there were two officials collecting documents. Outside the offices, officials would appear from time to time and collect documents handed to them over the perimeter fence or call out the names of people whose files they had. Some people said they did not know what queue they were standing in.

An Ethiopian man, who preferred not to be named, had flown from Johannesburg on Tuesday night and queued on Wednesday to extend his refugee status. He was told at 10am to return on Thursday. But Home Affairs told GroundUp: “The status renewal schedule is aligned to the schedule for available interpreters (Ethiopians are Wednesday). However if there is proof of travelling the applicants are
prioritised.”

“The problem with this place is that no one listens … No one cares or gives a damn,” said the man. “You are not given a chance to raise your issues or explain your circumstances. Besides losing my seat [for the return flight] today, I have to pay for accommodation and it’s not guaranteed that if I come again tomorrow I will be served.” He also said he was missing work and would not be paid.

A number of parents told GroundUp their children were missing school. “My two children, who are doing grade four and eight, have missed three days of school,” a mother said. “It is crucial that they be in school because they are doing revision in preparation for mid-year examinations. These people just don’t care. When I showed him [the official] my paper, he just pushed it back without even looking at it.”

“For three days I didn’t work. Next week it’s month end. I need to pay school fees and rent. I hope today they will help me. I do have a refugee status that I renew every four years,” she said.

Pastor Belesi from the Democratic Republic of Congo said he had applied for his ID last year in December and was told he should follow up after three months. He said last week he forced himself inside the building. He was told the official who deals with IDs was away for the whole week and he should return next week.

“So today I am here since 6am, but I do not see myself getting any service,” said Belesi. “I am just waiting. Nobody is telling me anything. I don’t know what to do; should I stay, go or wait? I missed the 10am church meeting and the congregation is still waiting for me.”

Home Affairs spokesperson Thabo Mokgola responded to a number of queries but ignored GroundUp’s question about the security guard situation.

 

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

Sources: Tariro Washinyira  via GroundUp [1]. Image source: [1].