Welcome to Operation Watershed, where South Africans abroad can play an active, tangible role in driving sustainable change in South Africa.
Electoral Reform Consultation Panel & Overseas Voter Survey​
Click here to read the final ERCP Report & Survey Results.
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During October 2024 we ran an online voting survey and engaged with the ERCP chairperson, Advocate Richard Sizani and his colleagues. On 31 October we submitted a 42 page document which included a redacted version of the survey results to the ERCP. We have now processed all responses and resubmitted the final report to the ERCP. Please ensure you're signed up to receive our newsletters to find out about interviews and interactive sessions for South Africans Abroad to engage in the public participation phase of the ERCP's mandate before they submit their suggestions to the Minister of Home Affairs.
Update on VFS Global Passport Application Problems & General Consular Service Issues
12/10/2024 In addition to the email communication with Home Affairs in August regarding VFS Global in the UK, we submitted a comprehensive email highlighting consular issues abroad in September. The Minister's assistant acknowledged receipt and stated the issues would be tabled but no further correspondence received. Earlier this week, thanks to a nudge from the Electoral Reform Consultation Panel chairperson, the spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs contacted us. The above-mentioned emails have been forwarded to the spokesperson and a request made for a webinar to be arranged with the Minister. We are also running an Overseas Voting Survey which will be presented to the IEC's Electoral Reform Committee by their deadline of 31 October.
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18/08/2024 This past week we have engaged directly with senior officials from our Department of Home Afairs. We have highlighted the issues regarding VFS including inability to book appointments in the UK, inability to enter an expired passport date on their appointment platform & general issues around long waiting periods, fingerprint rejections, poor communication etc. The department have requested a technical report from VFS and will arrange a meeting with them to discuss matters. DHA are using the UK as a pilot project with potential to role out VFS Global in other countries so they welcome our engagement highlighting these issues. We have also highlighted other general poor consular issues at our foreign missions. We hope that engagement with DHA & DIRCO (Department of International Relations & Co-operation) will lead to building relationships with these two departments and help improve consular services for the 1+ million citizens abroad.
Update on Loss of Citizenship court ruling & next steps
October 2024 - We have it on good authority that the Constitutional Court has set a hearing date of 5 Novermber 2024. We could still wait some months thereafter for a final outcome.
18/08/2024 We have checked with the DA's Deputy Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Adrian Roos, however there is currently no further development on this case. The Supreme Court of Appeal awarded judgement mid-2023 to the DA regarding the unconstitutionality of Section 6(1)(a) of the South African Citizenship Act that has resulted in the unknown and unwillling loss of SA citizenship. Whilst there was movement, with a document being issued by the Constitutional Court on 8 March 2024 however we are told that the Department of Home Affairs had until 1 April 2024 to submit some paperwork. We are still awaiting ratification of the SCA ruling on unconstitutionality. Until the concourt does so, the judgment is not in force and South Africans need to continue to apply for retention.
Sounds the call to come TOGETHER...
...And UNITED we shall stand!