Dear clients, partners and friends,
We have recently gone through a sad time for South Africa as the country is battling with xenophobic (Afrophobic) sentiments and attacks, and with violence against women and children. Government and political parties have been widely criticized for their inciting and poor handling of the xenophobic violence, which authorities appear unable to efficiently curb. Several African countries evacuated those of their citizens who were willing to leave, and the negative effect on South Africa’s tourism figures and international image is evident. The discrepancy between reasonably strict immigration laws on the one side, and the effective free passes “issued” through corruption, inefficient asylum processes and inadequate measures for combating illegal immigration on the other, is continuing to cause tension and puts pressure on South Africa’s social compact and economy. This increases the urgency for creating jobs and addressing poverty in the country.
In this newsletter, you will read about some of government’s plans regarding these pressures, hear about the new eVisa system to be introduced, receive an update on the new critical skills list, and find out how families of South Africans and asylum seekers and refugees can now apply for long-term visas locally.
For any questions or further information, my team and I are available and will love to hear from you.
With warm regards,
Julia Willand