An article published in the Daily Maverick published on August 26th talks about the South African permanent residency application stoppage at the Department of Home Affairs over the past 17 months that has left over 33 000 people in limbo.
A State of Disaster was declared in the country on 15 March 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and has been renewed without fail since then. During this period, the Department of Home Affairs has suspended the processing of permanent residency applications, seemingly as courts have erred on the side of caution to largely uphold Covid-19 motivated executive directives.
From individuals, who remain vulnerable pending the finalisation of permanent residency even if they invest money, conduct business and create employment, to businesses which have long complained of residence permit, visa and immigration difficulties, and immigration specialists, to now also some circles in government, dissatisfaction with Home Affairs seems widespread.
