Andrew Stegmann

FG liberalises visa, immigration regime to boost economic revival

The Federal Government has streamlined visa and immigration processes to spur inflow of foreign direct investments in a bid to hasten the recovery of the nation’s economy.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said the measure was part of the action plan for ease of doing business in line with the current administration’s economic diversification agenda.

According to him, other measures that had been taken by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to facilitate tourism alike include harmonisation of airport arrival and departure forms/cards to save foreigners the stress of having to file several documents as well as the decentralisation of services to make state commands undertake some hitherto concentrated tasks.

His words: ‘’Re-issuance of passports for change of names due to marital reason or misplacement has been decentralised to save passport holders the additional costs and inconvenience of travelling to the service headquarters in Abuja. Also, additional 28 offices have been opened for issuance of residence permits in Nigeria, thus bringing the issuance of Combined Expatriate Residence Permit And Aliens Cards (CERPAC) closer to the doorstep of employers of expatriates in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.”

He said the reforms perfectly fit into the 60-day national roadmap approved recently by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).

Mohammed went on: “The NIS has reviewed the requirements for Nigerian visas to make them more customer-friendly and details of this review are available on the official website, www.immigration.gov.ng. Types of visas currently reviewed include Visa on Arrival (VoA) processes, business, tourist and transit visas.”

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Andrew Stegmann

Africa: How Zimbabweans Risk Life and Limb to Cross Into South Africa

Jumping into a swimming pool is an insurmountable task for many — but Sithembile Moyo (34)* dares crocodiles and other dangerous reptiles found in the Limpopo River at least four times a month as she illegally crosses into South Africa in search of a better life.

For 10 years, Moyo, who hails from Beitbridge, has risked her life to cross the crocodile-infested river at least twice after every fortnight so that she could feed, clothe and send her three sons to school.

“What can I do for my family? Do you want them to die because I was afraid of a crocodile? I have a duty to take care of them, even if it means risking my life, let it be,” Moyo told The Standard news crew in Beitbridge last week shortly after crossing the Limpopo River from South Africa. She goes to work at a farm that has become popular with illegal immigrants.

She met the news crew on the banks of the river with her luggage which she was to carry for more 10km to the nearest bus stop.

“I have seen colleagues die in this river. Some drowned while others were attacked by crocodiles,” she said.

“But the question is: should I watch my children die of hunger when I can afford to cross the river? This is a matter of survival,” she narrates.

“We are used to this life. Every weekend I come home and on Monday I will be here again, in this water crossing back to South Africa where I work.

“I have seen a lot of things happening here, but the grace of God has kept me going.”

Early this year, Moyo witnessed six people drown after a heavy flood hit them while in the middle of the river.

The person whom they had paid to assist them cross the river was able to swim through the flood and survived.

“I have many friends who have failed to make it across the river because of many factors,” Moyo added.

“Some just collapse along the way, while others are hit by big logs and fall into the water. Some are killed by crocodiles.”

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Andrew Stegmann

Cayman Islands lure South Africans with tax-free pay, opportunities

JOHANNESBURG – If you pushed your trolley down an aisle of the main supermarket in Grand Cayman, you’d be forgiven if you thought you were in South Africa.

“I’ve heard and spoken more Afrikaans here in the past year than I ever did back in Johannesburg. That should give you some sort of indication of how many South Africans are here,” South African-born chartered accountant Alon Berger (pictured below) tells Moneyweb.

After completing his articles at EY in Johannesburg in 2015, Berger headed to the Cayman Islands “for the hedge funds, beaches and tax-free pay”. While he expected to be challenged in his new role at PwC, the number of South Africans living and working on the island caught him off guard.

Due to the large expat community, the island’s main supermarket has an aisle with dedicated South African products and it is not unheard of for the local watering hole to host a “South Africa day”.

Berger says during a three-month period last year he was contacted by 18 different CAs(SA) – mostly newly-qualified or with one to three years experience – through Facebook or LinkedIn hoping to work on the island. The competition is fierce and many people don’t get an interview without a strong reference.

The decision to work abroad was not informed by fears about South Africa’s prospects but rather an opportunity to get exposure to some of the largest hedge funds in the world. Moving to the Caymans offered exciting career prospects, travel opportunities but also the ability to earn a foreign salary.

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Andrew Stegmann

South Africans Vow to Punish Foreigners as Minister Calls for Peace

WASHINGTON — 

South African Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has urged residents of Rosettenville suburb in Johannesburg to stop attacking foreigners accused of perpetrating crime.

Gigaba, who toured the suburb on Monday where about 10 houses occupied by foreigners allegedly selling drugs and promoting prostitution were set on fire, said locals should report such incidents to the police instead of taking matters into their own hands.

He told residents, after touring the affected area, that the South African government is aware of their grievances and will do all it can to address them.

But he was quick to stress that it is wrong to attack foreigners. “No person has the right to take the law into his or her own hands … We need to assess the whole situation concerning people said to be committing crimes before we take any action.”

However, his calls fell on deaf ears as some of the residents said they are sick and tired of foreigners who are allegedly selling drugs to their children and promoting prostitution.

One of them, Teressa Zwane, said, “They (foreigners) are selling drugs to our children. They are also promoting prostitution here. We are now sick and tired of them. They must go because even police are not taking any action even if we inform them about what is going on.”

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