Zimbabweans complain of Home Affairs incompetence:

With the government determined to scrap the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP), permit holders were told they must apply for waivers and seek alternative visas if they wish to remain in South Africa legally.

A waiver allows ZEP holders, many of whom have been employed for years in South Africa, to continue in their jobs without having to go through an immigration process from scratch with the Department of Labour, for instance proving that the job was advertised and no South African applicant applied or was qualified for the position. Successful waiver applicants then apply for a general work visa.

In December 2023, Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said just over 78,000 Zimbabweans had applied for waivers and about 10,000 for alternative visas.

But a number of waiver applicants GroundUp spoke to say they have found themselves facing a new dilemma. Their waiver applications have been successful, but the letters have errors – names, job descriptions and the companies employing them are incorrect.

This means they are legally in the country but with incorrect papers.

They showed GroundUp their waivers as proof, but they did not want their names published as they fear they will be victimised by Home Affairs. The waiver letters follow a format stating the regulations as well as the applicant’s ZEP number, name, employer and position of employment. They are signed by Minister Motsoaledi.

GroundUp is aware of a quality controller who received a waiver stating they are a baby carer; a safety officer designated as a cleaner, and a teacher as a school principal. There are many more such complaints shared on Zimbabwean WhatsApp groups and social media.

People we spoke to say they are told by VFS Global (the immigration agency Zimbabweans must use) not to collect the waivers but to write a complaint about the issue and have VFS return the waiver to Home Affairs.

There are so many cases posted on social media that some Zimbabweans believe it is being done on purpose by Home Affairs.

James Chapman, of the Scalabrini Centre, said their organisation has not received any client with such errors. However, he said that if a waiver has errors, it will make it “very difficult to get a visa because VFS verifies the information on the waiver certificate and if it’s not correctly reflecting, then there are high chances of the application getting rejected”.

He said visa applications are routinely dismissed even if there is a minor error. The visa fee of R1,550 is not refunded.

“Employers can also be placed in a hard situation if documents of their employees are not properly exhibited and correct. They will find it difficult to deal with UIF and to also claim for tax benefits from SARS. I am not sure how employers will be able to address this situation,” said Chapman.

Mary (not her real name) arrived in South Africa nearly 20 years ago and works as a domestic worker. She says she was at first overjoyed when she received her waiver approval in 2023, only to discover it stated that she is a truck driver.

VFS advised her that they will return the document to Pretoria for rectification. Over a year later this has not been done.

Her employer, since 2014, is unhappy and concerned that they will now be in trouble with the law. She may lose her job as a result.

Harry (not his real name), a fruit farm supervisor since 2010, received his waiver this year, but was also designated as a truck driver.

His employer is unhappy and worried about how they will explain this to an inspector from the Department of Labour.

Harry says he has spent hundreds of rands now on taxi fares travelling to VFS, which has been unable to sort out the problem.

We have seen many more examples of incorrect information.

GroundUp has been trying since 9 January to get comment from Home Affairs spokespersons Siya Qoza and David Hlabane.

This article was first published by GroundUp.

– The Mail & Guardian

PA councillor accused of ‘fraudulent’ Joburg land transfer: The councillor has been accused of giving away provincial land for a taxi rank development without following legislation

– The Mail & Guardian

How HONOR’s Magic V2 protects your privacy:

In today’s digital world, keeping personal information private is more important than ever

Privacy has always been a highly valued commodity, but since the inception of the internet, and the subsequent apps that collect an individual’s personal information, it has become more and more fleeting.

The digital age has brought so many advantages, such as convenience and efficiency, but in the same breath, it has also raised many concerns around the protection of personal information. From social media accounts to online payments to even a simple Google search, every interaction creates a digital footprint that can potentially be exploited. 

According to a piece by Broadband Search, the four main privacy concerns are data breaches, information commodification, pervasive surveillance by companies and government agencies, and erosion of anonymity.

HONOR, a leading smart device brand and advocate for generative AI technology, has actively monitored the privacy conversation, taking special care to understand the concerns of society. Knowing that privacy is a basic right, HONOR has made privacy protection a prerequisite for all its products and services. 

From conceptualisation to the final product, privacy considerations are embedded into every R&D step to provide HONOR users autonomous control over their personal information, while building and maintaining their trust.

But the question that might be on everyone’s mind is, how?

Keeping your personal data private

HONOR takes their users’ personal data and privacy very seriously by adhering to established industry security standards and the POPIA Act. 

The personal information collected is very minimal and relevant in relation to the purposes in which they are processed — this includes full name, cell number, email address and HONOR ID information. This information is retained by the brand for a minimum period as permitted by law.

All personal information on the HONOR Magic V2 is safeguarded with encryption technology to ensure confidentiality of data transmission and storage.

AI Privacy Call 3.0: protect your information from unwanted ears 

When it comes to redefining the engineering of smartphones, HONOR is at the forefront of its competitors in terms of AI features that focus on privacy. 

Upgrading this specific feature from the device’s predecessor, AI Privacy Call 3.0 lets users take important phone calls in public without worrying about others listening in to the conversation. 

The HONOR Magic V2 intelligently adapts the call volume to a decibel that is exclusive to the person who received the call – minimising call sound leakage without compromising on the crystal-clear quality. 

So, whether it’s an important business call or a potential job interview at work, the Magic V2 guarantees no one else will be privy to the information shared.

Parallel Space: creating exclusive privacy

More often than not, people use their smartphones for both personal and work endeavours, and this often leads to an opening for hackers to gain access to work-related documents and confidential files from a person’s personal device. 

HONOR has developed a new AI feature that works to help users keep their work and private apps and files separate, called Parallel Space.

This feature allows users to create an independent space outside of the existing phone space. Built to be much more private and secure, Parallel Space can be used simultaneously with the main space of the Magic V2. 

This feature is ideal for storing important, sensitive information and personal or work apps — users can also migrate files from the main space to the Parallel Space. This feature also allows users to run the same app, such as WhatsApp, on both spaces.

If Parallel Space is no longer needed, it can be wiped out completely to further protect the user’s privacy.

A discreet security chip for your safety

A major concern that plagues most people is, “how safe are my passwords and banking information on my device?” 

Designed for safety of all sensitive information, HONOR has developed a discreet security chip, which is embedded in the HONOR Magic V2, to provide an added layer of protection for all hardware-level protection and key passwords stored on the device. 

Experience the magic of the HONOR Magic V2, now available for purchase at selected retailers. The device comprises a Black finish with a special vegan leather back, retailing for the recommended purchase price of R39,999.

For more information, please visit HONOR at https://www.hihonor.com/za/phones/honor-magic-v2/.

About HONOR 

HONOR is a leading global provider of smart devices. It is dedicated to becoming a global iconic technology brand and creating a new intelligent world for everyone through its powerful products and services. With an unwavering focus on R&D, it is committed to developing technology that empowers people around the globe to go beyond, giving them the freedom to achieve and do more. Offering a range of high-quality smartphones, tablets, laptops and wearables to suit every budget, HONOR’s portfolio of innovative, premium and reliable products enables people to become a better version of themselves.

FB:?https://www.facebook.com/honorsouthafrica

INS:?https://www.instagram.com/honorza/???????? 

TWITTER:?https://twitter.com/honorafrica???????? 

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– The Mail & Guardian

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