Immigration

Police fire rubber bullets in city centre

A man was injured when police fired rubber bullets at a crowd of about a thousand asylum seekers earlier today at the Home Affairs Temporary Refugee Centre on Cape Town’s foreshore. Witnesses say that a nine-month-old baby was also injured.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 27 November 2014

The long wait for a trading permit

At least 40 Zimbabwean informal traders fear they may lose their livelihoods after delays in getting informal trading permits from Fezeka City Council offices in Gugulethu.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 25 November 2014

Zimbabweans can now stay longer for the festive season

On Thursday, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba announced that Zimbabweans intending to travel home for the festive season will be able to do so even if their permits have not been issued.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 21 November 2014

We know how to bear hardships, says Chinese trader in Khayelitsha

Next to a small fruit stand and across the street from a hodgepodge of street vendors, Cuiyi Lin sits in front of her furniture store every day waiting for customers. She is the only non-African in the area.

Joyce Xi

Feature | 19 November 2014

Zimbabweans afraid to go home for Christmas

Zimbabweans whose permits expire on 31 December and whose applications for new permits have not yet been processed face a difficult decision about whether to return home for Christmas - and risk trouble at the border on their return to South Africa.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 10 November 2014

How an organisation is helping immigrant children with disabilities

It is not easy to raise a child with disabilities if you are a single mother and a foreign national living in a township in South Africa. Fortunately, there is the PASSOP Disabled Children Support Group.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 5 November 2014

Home affairs tells asylum-seeking married couple to remarry

Christine Ntumba is an asylum seeker from the DRC. And she’s in a desperate situation. Her baby, Aradi, is sick and cannot get the medical attention he needs because Christine cannot obtain vital documents because of bureaucratic hurdles.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 31 October 2014

Peeing into a plastic bottle on the long road from Lindela

Tapiwa, 35, was deported to Zimbabwe in August via the notorious Lindela Repatriation Centre. A few days later, he was back in South Africa. He told Tariro Washinyira his story.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 27 October 2014

Responding rationally to Ebola

Tightening border controls is not the way to prevent an outbreak of Ebola in South Africa, writes Nathan Geffen.

Nathan Geffen

Opinion | 16 October 2014

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 – the Supreme Court of Appeal has thrown out key elements of ā€˜Operation Hardstick’.

Carmel Rickard

News | 6 October 2014

The week in activism

This week we look at Sonke’s call on government to support an important medical trial and the court ruling in the Limpopo foreign traders’ 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