Immigration

How I crossed the border illegally

Every day, hundreds of Zimbabweans cross the Beit Bridge border across the Limpopo River into South Africa - some of them illegally. GroundUp reporter Tariro Washinyira joined them.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 13 October 2014

Zimbabweans report glitches in permit system

Zimbabweans were promised in August by the Department of Home Affairs that they could apply for the Zimbabwean Special Permit (ZSP) from October 1, 2014, but many have been unable to.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 8 October 2014

Court victory for asylum seekers

Somali and Ethiopian asylum seekers and refugees have scored a longed-for victory against official xenophobia ā€“ the Supreme Court of Appeal has thrown out key elements of ā€˜Operation Hardstickā€™.

Carmel Rickard

News | 6 October 2014

The week in activism

This week we look at Sonkeā€™s call on government to support an important medical trial and the court ruling in the Limpopo foreign tradersā€™ case brought by Lawyers for Human Rights.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 2 October 2014

New immigration laws here to stay - minister

On Tuesday at a media briefing in Cape Town on the implementation of the new immigration regulations, Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba announced that the regulations will stay despite them having created much anxiety.

Tariro Washinyira and Thembela Ntongana

News | 16 September 2014

18 years documentation struggle with Home Affairs

After 18 years of legal struggles, Mathijs van Hillegondsberg will meet the Department of Home Affairs in the Western Cape High Court on Wednesday. Van Hillegondsberg claims that he and his family have been victims of maladministration and abuse of power.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 9 September 2014

Police clearance is needed for Zimbabwean Special Dispensation Permit says Home Affairs

Following the Minister of Home Affairs remarks on 12 August 2014 that a clear criminal record was a condition to qualify for the Zimbabwean Special Dispensation Permit, the Zimbabwe Community South Africa (ZCSA) said they have noted people flocking to police stations for police clearance. The ZCSA told GroundUp that in fact there was no need for anyone to get police clearance. Subsequent to GroundUp quoting ZCSA yesterday, Home Affairs has confirmed that a certificate is needed. GroundUp deeply regrets adding to the confusion.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 3 September 2014

Zimbabweans form local study group

Zimbabwean teachers and students sometimes find it hard to integrate to South African schools. Established in January 2014, Par excellence is a study group with teachers and 20 Zimbabwean students located in Salt River. They are mainly high school repeaters and a few primary school children whose parents could not get places for them in major South African schools.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 2 September 2014

SAPS told to treat foreigners with respect

The SA Police Service must ā€œtake urgent stepsā€ to eradicate discriminatory behaviour towards foreigners and gay people, the Commission of Inquiry into policing in Khayelitsha has said.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 26 August 2014

Confusion over Zimbabwe Special Dispensation Permit

Some holders of Zimbabwe Dispensation Permits that expire in 2015 do not understand that all permits are expiring on 31 December 2014, and that they too need to make an online application by 1 October 2014 for the new Zimbabwe Special Dispensation Permit (ZSP).

Tariro Washinyira

News | 22 August 2014

Gay and not free in South Africa

A gay man from the DRC claims the Congolese community in South Africa will not rest until they kill him. Junior Miteo Kalonji, 34, wept hard as he talked about his life. GroundUp had to stop the interview three times when he broke down.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 19 August 2014

Zimbabweans welcome extension of residence

The Department of Home Affairs has granted three more years residence to more than 250 000 Zimbabweans who applied for dispensation permits in 2009.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 13 August 2014

African immigrants experience a spate of raids and deportations

It started on 16 July in Langebaan at Freeport block of flats. Immigrants were deported with nothing on them. Deportees, leaving friends and relatives behind, lost their possessions, furniture and money. Then on 31 July, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) raided a block of flats in Somerset West and Sholoza Villa in Kraaifontein. Immigrants who did not have documents -- mainly Congolese, Tanzanians, Malawians and Zimbabweans -- were arrested.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 6 August 2014

Rwandans remain divided - even in South Africa

20 years after the Rwandan genocide, the political intrigues and legal ambiguities of its aftermath are still being played out in South Africa among the expat community. Requests from Kigali for the extradition of several Rwandans living in South Africa heightened diplomatic tensions between the two nations.

Lara Sokoloff

News | 5 August 2014

Durban police refused to open a case for a Zimbabwean man

A 38-year-old Zimbabwean man claims he was assaulted by a metro police officer in Durban and two Durban police stations refused to open an assault case.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 4 August 2014

29 foreign-owned shops targeted

A 37 year old Somali, Ahimenet Jamel was shot in his shop in Masiphumelele last Friday in an attempted robbery, bringing to at least 29 the number of attacks on foreign-owned shops in the Western Cape in the last three weeks.

Zintle Tia Swana

News | 31 July 2014