On a night when there were no winners, the biggest loser during President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation Address in Parliament last night was Malusi Gigaba, the Minister of Home Affairs.
Under fire for months because of the department’s visa regulations that discourage foreign leisure and business travel to South Africa, Gigaba sat stony-faced as Zuma announced a review of visa regulations.
Zuma said: “To attract foreign skills for our growing economy we will dialogue with various stakeholders on the migration policy. We will also prioritize the review of visa regulations to strike a balance between national security and growth in tourism.”
Zuma struck a second blow at the Department of Home Affairs later in his address when he announced that banks will become involved in the ambitious programme to issue new smart ID cards to all residents of South Africa.
It is widely accepted that the Department of Home Affairs is one of the most dysfunctional government departments. Staff in its offices work in appalling conditions and are overwhelmed by mountains of paperwork and by the fact that many people who need assistance cannot speak, read or write any of South Africa’s official languages.
Showing that he has no faith that the department will be able to manage the task of issuing new ID documents to tens of millions of people, Zuma said: “To further improve access to identity documents, citizens will from this year be able to apply for the new smart ID card at their local bank due to partnership between the Department of Home Affairs and some banks in the country.”
Once seen as a highflier destined for great things, Gigaba has been Minister of Home Affairs since May 2014 but it appears that Zuma has lost confidence and patience in him and the Department of Home Affairs’ most senior officials.
Another controversial part of Zuma’s address concerned his hopes for foreign investment, it is difficult to reconcile these expectations with the fact that foreigners will no longer be able to invest in property in South Africa as he announced last night. It is not clear how that will affect foreign businesses and individuals who currently own land in South Africa.
Zuma clips Gigaba’s wings : February 13th, 2015 by Andrew Moth
Under fire for months because of the department’s visa regulations that discourage foreign leisure and business travel to South Africa, Gigaba sat stony-faced as Zuma announced a review of visa regulations.
Zuma said: “To attract foreign skills for our growing economy we will dialogue with various stakeholders on the migration policy. We will also prioritize the review of visa regulations to strike a balance between national security and growth in tourism.”
Zuma struck a second blow at the Department of Home Affairs later in his address when he announced that banks will become involved in the ambitious programme to issue new smart ID cards to all residents of South Africa.
It is widely accepted that the Department of Home Affairs is one of the most dysfunctional government departments. Staff in its offices work in appalling conditions and are overwhelmed by mountains of paperwork and by the fact that many people who need assistance cannot speak, read or write any of South Africa’s official languages.
Showing that he has no faith that the department will be able to manage the task of issuing new ID documents to tens of millions of people, Zuma said: “To further improve access to identity documents, citizens will from this year be able to apply for the new smart ID card at their local bank due to partnership between the Department of Home Affairs and some banks in the country.”
Once seen as a highflier destined for great things, Gigaba has been Minister of Home Affairs since May 2014 but it appears that Zuma has lost confidence and patience in him and the Department of Home Affairs’ most senior officials.
Another controversial part of Zuma’s address concerned his hopes for foreign investment, it is difficult to reconcile these expectations with the fact that foreigners will no longer be able to invest in property in South Africa as he announced last night. It is not clear how that will affect foreign businesses and individuals who currently own land in South Africa.
Caring for your ageing loved ones from a distance by Vivian Chiona
Career opportunities take individuals and their families away from their home country. Their focus is on the new job and adjusting to life in another country. In most cases parents have encouraged their child to take advantage of the unique opportunity to work and live in a foreign land. Expats quickly learn that life in another country is exciting but also more complicated. They have a new life to build and challenges to handle, so less thought is given to their relatives back home. It isn’t that they don’t care; it is simply a matter of human nature that if someone or something is absent, it is overlooked.
Today most pensioners are leading active lives so we don’t have to worry about them. However, a relative’s health status can change suddenly and dramatically. When we live on the other side of the world we feel helpless. Caring for your loved ones from a distance is a multi-faceted issue and there isn’t one right answer. Expats dealing with a frail or ill loved one from a distance often comment that they are managing, although each describes unexpected challenges, frustrations and a desire to have known more in advance. The families are juggling multiple issues including guilt, resentment by other family members, time differences, added costs, cultural traditions, legal issues, and misunderstandings.
Here are five suggestions to consider:
Being prepared, having information, making a plan and opening dialogue with relatives will mean less scrambling when your loved ones need assistance. Being prepared for the ‘what if’ related to our ageing relatives can give us peace of mind.
Are you abroad and concerned about an elderly or ill relative at home? How do you and your family deal with this? We’d love to hear more tips! Feel free to share them in the comments section below. (http://www.expatnest.com/caring-ageing-loved-ones-distance/)
GUINEA – Unrest, Foreign nationals advised to keep low profile.
Arrest of Muslim cleric incites unrest in Conakry The arrest of a Muslim cleric involved in the burial of a suspected Ebola victim sparked widespread unrest in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, on 9 February. Protesters took to the streets of an undisclosed area of the capital and blockaded roads with burning tyres and other debris. Several vehicles, including a bus owned by a local hotel, was attacked and vandalised in the unrest. At least 12 people were wounded in clashes which ensued between protesters and riot police deployed to disperse the unrest. The aforementioned incident highlights how small-scale protests can violently escalate with little to no warning in Guinea. Indeed, issues linked to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the country, which has placed restrictions on burial practices, is particularly emotive and has often prompted outbreaks of violent unrest. Foreign nationals have often been targeted in such unrest amid local beliefs that the Ebola virus is a foreign disease which was brought to the country by Western nationals. Consequently, foreign nationals in Guinea are advised to maintain a low profile and should defer travel to areas affected by civil unrest, particularly if such agitation is linked to the Ebola outbreak.
SUDAN (Country risk rating: High); 28 January; Foreign nationals detained in South Kordufan
According to reports released on 28 January, six Bulgarian nationals were detained in Sudan‘s South Kordufan state by rebels from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Sudan (SPLM-North) on 26 January. The incident occurred near the state capital of Kadugli. The Bulgarian nationals, who were operating flight services for the United Nations (UN)’s World Food Programme (WFP), were reportedly taken by SPLM-North rebels after their helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing. The victims are unharmed. Spokespersons from the SPLM-North have stated that the victims have not been kidnapped; rather, they will be released once it has been established that they indeed work for the UN and are not affiliated with or working for the Sudanese government. Discussions to secure their release are currently underway. The incident underscores the high-risk operating environment facing both local and foreign nationals operating in Sudan. The threat of kidnapping is elevated in South Kordufan, where the country’s armed forces are engaged in an ongoing conflict with rebels aligned with the SPLM-North, which maintains a strong operational presence in the state. Although this incident has not been identified as a kidnapping, the SPLM-North demonstrated its willingness to use kidnapping as a tactic when the group took 29 Chinese nationals hostage in January 2012; the victims were working on road construction in the state. Due to the ongoing conflict in the state, further such incidents are expected to persist. Due to the heightened threats of conflict, kidnapping and banditry, clients are advised against all travel to a number of regions in Sudan, including South Kordufan. Persons currently in or intending to travel to these regions are advised to ensure that all movements are coordinated in the presence of a security escort.