Johannesburg - Strict new South African immigration laws have sparked confusion and panic among foreign residents in the "Gateway to Africa" and forced 250 000 Zimbabweans to decide whether to return home.

Walk down most streets in Johannesburg and you will hear accents and languages from across this vast African continent.

Builders by the roadside waiting for work chatter away in the sweet sing-song rhythm of African Portuguese, waiters stand and gossip between orders employing the rolling Rs and whistles that mark out Shona, a language of Zimbabwe and southern Zambia.

Congolese, Somalis, Nigerians, Mozambicans and above all Zimbabweans, flock to the "City of Gold" in search of their own little slice of the riches of the Highveld, as the surrounding region is known.

Since the 1880s, when Johannesburg exploded to life with the discovery of vast gold deposits, it has been a city, and a country, of immigrants.

"Shosholoza", perhaps South Africa's most beloved song originally came from the Zimbabwean workers making the train journey south to work the mines.

But today authorities, wary of the inflow amid brutally high unemployment, have begun tightening visa regulations and closing loopholes.

New rules quickly snapped into force shortly after the May election, catching scores of expatriate workers of guard.

'Sending 250 000 back'

A German doctor waiting six months for the processing of her residence permit was banned from returning to SA for five years for overstaying her tourist visa.

A Briton was stranded in London, separated from her husband and 18-month-old child, after being declared an undesirable immigrant for a similar reason.

There are fears the new rules may hit the vital tourist industry. Immigration consultants have lodged a slew of court cases challenging the laws, which they say are unconstitutional.

Haniff Hoosen, from the DA, says "the new regulations have already ripped apart families, dissuaded investors, and led to the suspension and even cancellation of multi- million rand film and tourism ventures".

But the most far-reaching implication may be felt by the more than a quarter-of-a-million Zimbabweans who fled the political and economic crisis at home after disputed elections in 2008.

They were granted special permits that expire later this year.

According to the new laws, if they want to continue living in the country they will have to return home to apply for extensions.

"Sending 250 000 back just to extend their permits doesn't make sense," said Bernard Toyambi, the paralegal officer of the non-governmental organisation the People Against Suffering, Oppression and Poverty.

"How will they keep their jobs? How long does the process take?"

The worst fear is mass deportations if no special political deal is secured.

"It's like they're chasing us out, they're killing us," said Sascha Madipa, aged 28, a Zimbabwean immigrant in Johannesburg.

'Like doomsday'

The rules have "created such an element of uncertainty, uneasiness among the people. It's like doomsday," said Gershon Mosiane, an immigration lawyer and president of the Forum of Immigration Practitioners (FIPSA).

"These people were not given ample time, and to declare a person undesirable, our position is that it is arbitrary and is against the principle or the rule of law... that a person is innocent until proven guilty," said Msiane.

South Africa has promised to make a decision on the status of the Zimbabweans, with immigration chief Apleni Mkuseni saying they should "wait patiently and with no panic".

But new South African Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba signalled a less sympathetic stance.

"Workers from other countries, and I dare say Zimbabwe, have flocked to South Africa seeking asylum. We must ask: Is there a conflict in Zimbabwe which necessitates that Zimbabwean nationals must apply for asylum in South Africa?" he asked.

With Zimbabwe's economy still spluttering, unemployment unofficially estimated to be as high as 80%, a fresh financial crisis looming and president Robert Mugabe recently returned to power for another term, many Zimbabweans are reluctant to return home.

A Zimbabwean opposition politician, Ngqabutho Mabhena of the Movement for Democratic Change, who helped negotiate the special permits, has been talking to SA officials about the looming crisis.

"Our guess is that the majority of the people will want to re-apply because after the 2013 election in Zimbabwe, no Zimbabwean that we have spoken to wants to go back,"
said Mabhena

Over one hundred years after Johannesburg sprung up from the dust, Zimbabwean workers may again be making a journey, this time northward and homeward, leaving behind a city that is a little less cosmopolitan.

m.news24.com/news24/SouthAfrica/News/SAs-new-visa-rules-spark-outcry-20140710

THis comes as no surprise. Their people have been asking for stricter rules but of course this law will also affect a lot of european foriegners coming into the country.

I foresee a decline in south Africans economy in the next few years

the tone of this article though..

morpheus24: THis comes as no surprise. Their people have been asking for stricter rules but of course this law will also affect a lot of european foriegners coming into the country.

The irony of it all is that it will affect mostly the legal workers, expatriates, and their tourism industry.
While the "makwerekwere" they hate so much will just cross the Kosi Bay border and enter the country.
Employers prefer foreigners as they will work for less, are not lazy and will not strike every six months.

Apatheist:
The irony of it all is that it will affect mostly the legal workers, expatriates, and their tourism industry.
While the "makwerekwere" they hate so much will just cross the Kosi Bay border and enter the country.
Employers prefer foreigners as they will work for less, are not lazy and will not strike every six months.

its already affecting expatriates. New rule is you cannot extend stay while on a tourist visa as most europeans and their SA partners were priviledged to do before the new law passed. What this will most likely do is cause a lot of seperation of families since many will be excluded for long periods of time if they overstay or leave the country without valid permits but trust onyinbo they will find loop holes and way round it.

They already did that when the country try to deprive them from having dual citizenship. The fought the laws in court and pressured the country to "technically" recognise dual citizenship without loosing south african citizenship.

morpheus24:

its already affecting expatriates. New rule is you cannot extend stay while on a tourist visa as most Europeans and their SA partners were privileged to do before the new law passed. What this will most likely do is cause a lot of separation of families since many will be excluded for long periods of time if they overstay or leave the country without valid permits but trust onyinbo they will find loop holes and way round it.

They already did that when the country try to deprive them from having dual citizenship. The fought the laws in court and pressured the country to "technically" recognise dual citizenship without loosing south african citizenship.

They will not see all these, they will only see "foreigners "- black people of course, whites are 'tourists' -- leaving.

unapologetic: I foresee a decline in south Africans economy in the next few years

I've been saying! Zuma's people neh

soilsista: I've been saying! Zuma's people neh

They are trying to make foreigners feel unwelcome... the people are great but this new policies will definitely put a lot of visitors and investors away and south Africans tend to focus more on the negativity of foreigners and not on the positive impact they've been making in their economy.

unapologetic:


They are trying to make foreigners feel unwelcome... the people are great but this new policies will definitely put a lot of visitors and investors away and south Africans tend to focus more on the negativity of foreigners and not on the positive impact they've been making in their economy.

Right? It's really sad hey. It's usually the uneducated ones, sorry to say, that have the most to say about foreigners taking their jobs and whatnot. We really need to educate our people shame. Where's the ubuntu in this? We still have a long way to go

soilsista: Right? It's really sad hey. It's usually the uneducated ones, sorry to say, that have the most to say about foreigners taking their jobs and whatnot. We really need to educate our people shame. Where's the ubuntu in this? We still have a long way to go

You should read the comments on the News24 site.
The xenophobia there is sickening.

Apatheist:
You should read the comments on the News24 site.
The xenophobia there is sickening.

Eish. I skimmed through some of the comments and I have no words. Cry, my beloved SA...

unapologetic:
They are trying to make foreigners feel unwelcome... the people are great but this new policies will definitely put a lot of visitors and investors away and south Africans tend to focus more on the negativity of foreigners and not on the positive impact they've been making in their economy.

I am all for taking care of your citizens but when "people' are demonized and made scape goats for a governments failure to provide for its people the buck stops there.

Although immigration laws need to be revamped from time to time to address loop holes, these ones seem to deter legitimate immigrants from legalizing themselves in a sensible manner.

Viewing this topic: kgr28 (m)

I support these new regulations. Naijas should not concern themselves with possible negative impact on tourism, investment, trade, etc. for a far away country like South Africa. Let us handle our affairs the way we see fit.

Any country is free to do what Kenya has now done
www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2014-06-27-kenya-and-south-africas-mutually-destructive-visa-race/

soilsista: Right? It's really sad hey. It's usually the uneducated ones, sorry to say, that have the most to say about foreigners taking their jobs and what not. We really need to educate our people shame. Where's the ubuntu in this? We still have a long way to go

I totally agree with you.... Most well educated South Africans don't put blames on foreigners...... I sometimes wonder what job the foreigners are taking.... I watched an interview on SABC a few days where the Home affairs minister was quizzed about the reform in the immigration law... he seems to know what he's saying but it's also pretty obvious that they are targeting foreigners....... it's so sad that they are trying to make the rainbow nation an unwelcome place for foreigners...... have been coming to S.A since 2010 but with this new law, I wonder if I will still be coming back in the future after my next exit.

morpheus24:

I am all for taking care of your citizens but when "people' are demonized and made scape goats for a governments failure to provide for its people the buck stops there.

Although immigration laws need to be revamped from time to time to address loop holes, these ones seem to deter legitimate immigrants from legalizing themselves in a sensible manner.

Am all in for a law that will ban an illegitimate foreigner from S.A and not the ones that affects everyone. A Lot of African countries are watching and drafting their own reprisal attack..... I wonder why we were preaching a Pan-Africanism at first

soilsista: Right? It's really sad hey. It's usually the uneducated ones, sorry to say, that have the most to say about foreigners taking their jobs and whatnot. We really need to educate our people shame. Where's the ubuntu in this? We still have a long way to go

Keep your lessons to yourself! Rona basa rutehang we already know hore non tax-paying foreigners using our country's infrastructure with their countless unregistered "businesses", aren't adding any value to moruo wa naha.
Vele banka mesebetsi ya rona when they accept to be used as cheap labour!
Ubuntu ke ntho ya maNguni - ke bona ba tsebang hore tshwanetse e sebediswe neng lehona jwang!
Tsela e telele e tsamawa ke wena ole mong, shame!

Motho e mong le o mong ha Mmae and anyone who disagrees probably o nkga tje ka bona. So, a kanna a tsamaya le bona!

Tumisang:

Keep your lessons to yourself! Rona basa rutehang we already know hore non tax-paying foreigners using our country's infrastructure with their countless unregistered "businesses", aren't adding any value to moruo wa naha.
Vele banka mesebetsi ya rona when they accept to be used as cheap labour!
Ubuntu ke ntho ya maNguni - ke bona ba tsebang hore tshwanetse e sebediswe neng lehona jwang!
Tsela e telele e tsamawa ke wena ole mong, shame!

Motho e mong le o mong ha Mmae and anyone who disagrees probably o nkga tje ka bona. So, a kanna a tsamaya le bona!

The king of xenophobia.

The same people telling them to "voestek" are the same people who praise anything Robber Mugarbage does, and long for the whites to leave like in Zimbabwe.

Please who made SA the 'gateway to Africa'? Isn't that an insult to Nigeria?

Nobleval: Please who made SA the 'gateway to Africa'? Isn't that an insult to Nigeria?

Not at all.
They are the "gateway to Africa"
Nigeria is the giant of Africa.
In essence, they are the ticket to the main attraction: Nigeria.

Apatheist:
The king of xenophobia.

Xenophobia? There's no such thing! *in Thabo Mbeki's voice*

Apatheist:
Not at all.
They are the "gateway to Africa"
Nigeria is the giant of Africa.
In essence, they are the ticket to the main attraction: Nigeria.

oh...very. Good...they better be the ticket.

paniki: I support these new regulations. Naijas should not concern themselves with possible negative impact on tourism, investment, trade, etc. for a far away country like South Africa. Let us handle our affairs the way we see fit.
Any country is free to do what Kenya has now done
www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2014-06-27-kenya-and-south-africas-mutually-destructive-visa-race/

We aint worrying about it,naija man no dey carry last but your DA premier is having a fit about it for sure, Hmmmm, wonder why?

Could it be that the western cape being the last bastion of hope for "you know who" are worried their expatriates, tourists and their money who are financing and proping up that province will start thinking twice about doing business or migrating in mass to this percieved enclave.

Food for thought.

Tumisang:
Keep your lessons to yourself! Rona basa rutehang we already know hore non tax-paying foreigners using our country's infrastructure with their countless unregistered "businesses", aren't adding any value to moruo wa naha.
Vele banka mesebetsi ya rona when they accept to be used as cheap labour!
Ubuntu ke ntho ya maNguni - ke bona ba tsebang hore tshwanetse e sebediswe neng lehona jwang!
Tsela e telele e tsamawa ke wena ole mong, shame!
Motho e mong le o mong ha Mmae and anyone who disagrees probably o nkga tje ka bona. So, a kanna a tsamaya le bona!

"THAT"S RACIST"....in julius malema voice

PS please no tswana. Speak enlgish so we all can comprehend, otherwise set up your own Tswana-land speaking forum

The audacity!

Tumisang:

Xenophobia? There's no such thing! *in Thabo Mbeki's voice*

Kikikikikiki.
The same way there's no such thing as AIDS.
in Mbeki 's voice: There is no such thing as AIDS, it is a ploy by Western countries. *click *click*

Tumisang:

Keep your lessons to yourself! Rona basa rutehang we already know hore non tax-paying foreigners using our country's infrastructure with their countless unregistered "businesses", aren't adding any value to moruo wa naha.
Vele banka mesebetsi ya rona when they accept to be used as cheap labour!
Ubuntu ke ntho ya maNguni - ke bona ba tsebang hore tshwanetse e sebediswe neng lehona jwang!
Tsela e telele e tsamawa ke wena ole mong, shame!

Motho e mong le o mong ha Mmae and anyone who disagrees probably o nkga tje ka bona. So, a kanna a tsamaya le bona!

Bitso!! Maswafu fase please

Wa befelwa bohloko so?? A ke gane there are the bad ones mara bateng that contribute positively, let's not overlook that.

morpheus24:

We aint worrying about it,naija man no dey carry last but your DA premier is having a fit about it for sure, Hmmmm, wonder why?

Could it be that the western cape being the last bastion of hope for "you know who" are worried their expatriates, tourists and their money who are financing and proping up that province will start thinking twice about doing business or migrating in mass to this percieved enclave.

Food for thought.

You like talking about the Western Cape. But I understand, it's a peculiar place in which black South Africans are out-numbered and have always been out-numbered since the Dutch landed on Cape Point in 1652. Cape Town is the first place that white people landed on in South Africa so it makes sense that they hold on so dear to it. White people have lived in that place for over 350 years and they are not going anywhere, regardless of any regulation. All they can do is moan and pay for endless court battles but that must not concern a Nigerian.

paniki:

You like talking about the Western Cape. But I understand, it's a peculiar place in which black South Africans are out-numbered and have always been out-numbered since the Dutch landed on Cape Point in 1652. Cape Town is the first place that white people landed on in South Africa so it makes sense that they hold on so dear to it. White people have lived in that place for over 350 years and they are not going anywhere, regardless of any regulation. All they can do is moan and pay for endless court battles but that must not concern a Nigerian.

It concerns us if these clicking things from the Eastern Cape come to fu ck things up.

Apatheist:
It concerns us if these clicking things from the Eastern Cape come to fu ck things up.

Who is "us"? The whites or the Nigerians?

paniki:
You like talking about the Western Cape. But I understand, it's a peculiar place in which black South Africans are out-numbered and have always been out-numbered since the Dutch landed on Cape Point in 1652. Cape Town is the first place that white people landed on in South Africa so it makes sense that they hold on so dear to it. White people have lived in that place for over 350 years and they are not going anywhere, regardless of any regulation. All they can do is moan and pay for endless court battles but that must not concern a Nigerian.

Oh they are gonna do more than moan and groan, seeing that they have the finances and higly qualified lawyers, they usually end up watering down the laws for "their" people as usual and the ruling party usually buckles under that financial power pressure. In the end the laws will target the less affluent and less priviledged which is what they are intended to do in the first place in the guise of "reforming" immigration laws.

I am African by birth, by descent, by heritage, by blood and by ancestry. Everything that happens on this continent should concern me or shouldn't it?

Educate yourself or continue wallowing in ignorance about the continent.

paniki:

Who is "us"? The whites or the Nigerians?

Naai-gerians.