One day after he was sworn in as the new Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber made a range of announcements regarding extending temporary visa concessions and other arrangements affecting legal foreign nationals in South Africa.
It drew attention to him as one of the six new ministers of the DA in the Government of National Unity (GNU). Eleven new ministers were appointed from the DA, PAC, IFP, Patriotic Alliance (PA) and Freedom Front Plus and two from the ANC in the GNU.
Most of them have parliamentary but not ministerial experience. It, therefore, becomes a question of how long it will take for them to master the intricacies of parliamentary procedures and their executive responsibilities.
Schreiber was highlighted as one who started quickly, but what awaits him down the line?
He is qualified in political science and, in 2018, published a book on coalitions in South Africa. Until this year’s election, he was the DA spokesperson of public services and administration and, in that capacity, launched several court cases against the ANC to reveal information on its cadre deployment policy.
Now as the Home Affairs minister, his academic knowledge must assist him in a post that has become a hot issue globally: the growing antagonism against refugees, illegal immigrants and foreigners in general.
The right-wing populism in Europe against refugees from the Middle East and North Africa has changed the politics in countries like Hungary, Türkiye, France, the Netherlands and Spain. The American election later this year will also be influenced by this factor.
In the recent national election, the PA, Operation Dudula and others linked themselves to these immigration sentiments. Only the EFF distanced itself from it. The election indicated to government leaders that a clearer policy on immigration and managing of illegal economic immigrants in South Africa are urgent priorities.
Schreiber will have to be the architect of that approach.
Home Affairs is a key ministry and department because it manages the demographic aspects of the population. For most other ministries, from a planning point of view, Home Affairs and Statistics SA are pivotal components of a system that must manage many civic services related to the population.
The first is to maintain the National Population Register which must be aligned to managing all birth, marriage and death records. The department must also determine and grant South African citizenship.
One institution for whom the Home Affairs functions have been important in recent times is the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). The department must keep the IEC regularly informed of all the deaths of registered voters and persons who have lost their citizenship. They will automatically be removed from the national voters roll.
Also part of the department’s civic services is its task to issue travel documents, passports and IDs to South African citizens and permanent residents. The challenges the department and Schreiber

will have to contend with in this respect are unreliable government ICT infrastructure, long queues at Home Affairs offices and corruption in the process of issuing the documents.
Online applications and the use of bank branches have improved the situation. Investigations by the Special Investigative Unit and other components of the criminal justice cluster are slowly exposing syndicates and departmental officials, increasing Home Affairs’ integrity.
In addition to its civic services, the department’s second main function is managing immigration admissions into South Africa. It includes determining the residency status of foreigners. Extensions of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit or the extension of temporary visa permits are two examples of a range of immigration hot potatoes.
In 2022, as part of Operation Vulindlela, the work visa review was conducted under the leadership of a former director-general, Dr Mavuso Msimang. It concentrated, in particular, on the category of visas for high-level skills. Most high-growth economies depend on an inflow of foreign high-level skills.
In the past, this visa category was politically contested and, therefore, South Africa requires a pro-active policy approach in this respect.
The former minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, recognised the policy need and therefore requested the 2022 review. Schreiber will have to take it further and identify the best practices used by countries like Australia, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the US and other countries in exploiting skills.
Directly relevant for immigration and refugee management is the management of South Africa’s international borders.
In October 2023, the Border Management Agency (BMA) was launched to ensure that immigration laws and regulations were upheld. It will be the third armed force in South Africa after the military and police, responsible for border law enforcement, while the SANDF is responsible for border protection.
The BMA is an autonomous agency with its commissioners, but the Minister of Home Affairs serves as its executive authority.
Border management is not limited to the BMA. Schreiber will also be the chair of the inter-ministerial consultative committee on border management, which will include the other portfolios also involved in border management such as the SA Revenue Service, the Department of Agriculture, SANDF, SAPS and Transport.
The key to a better functioning Home Affairs will be good communication and understanding between the ministry and the department.
Key policy adjustments will be expected, while the department will have to incorporate the most advanced ICT infrastructure which can reduce the long queues at its offices and reduce the human factor in processing of documents, especially of illegal foreigners. V.5488

`Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber says a security guard at the Randburg office has been ‘removed’ from his post after he allegedly pepper sprayed angry citizens this week.A video showing irate members of the public has since gone viral on social media, wherein a security guard is seen waving a pepper spray as he demands members of the public to go outside. This occurred as frustrations came to a head at the Home Affairs Randburg branch when the system went offline, causing undue frustration for the members of the public. Taking to X, Schreiber said he was horrified when he learnt about the video on Thursday morning and that action had since been taken against the security guard involved. “I was appalled upon receiving this video at 10:50 this morning. An investigation was launched immediately, and by 17:00 the individual in question was removed. ` V.5990
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`Amendments made to the Refugees Act in 2023 are unconstitutional because they allow asylum seekers to be deported before they are able to access the asylum system. This puts them in danger and at risk of persecution. This was the main argument made by the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town, an immigration rights organisation, in the Western Cape High Court before a full bench on Thursday. The amendments, which Scalabrini wants the court to declare unconstitutional, allow for asylum seekers who have entered the country unlawfully and do not have a valid visa, to be denied full access to the asylum system after an initial “filtering” interview with an immigration officer.` V.5985
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`Leon Schreiber’s department has been celebrated for bold moves, but too often its officials remain ill-informed or indifferent. Throughout the second half of 2024 Leon Schreiber was one of the most observed and often praised GNU ministers. An expert on public sector reform, Schreiber could be the antidote to the institutional entropy from which the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has suffered for decades, or “dry rot” as a renowned organisational theorist called it.Schreiber has not been shy in adopting a proactive approach to the implementation of change within the department he heads. Nevertheless, the reality he will have to contend with internally in 2025 and beyond is that DHA remains systematically wanting of the necessary competency to perform its duties. ` V.5986
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`Certainly! The question “What is the investment amount that is required for a South African business visa application?” pertains to the financial requirements for obtaining a business visa in South Africa. This visa is designed for foreign nationals who wish to establish or invest in a business in South Africa. Below is a detailed explanation of the investment amount and related considerations:1. Purpose of the Business VisaThe South African business visa is intended to attract foreign investment and stimulate economic growth by allowing foreign entrepreneurs to establish or invest in businesses that will benefit the country. The visa is granted based on the applicant`s ability to contribute to the local economy, create jobs, and transfer skills.` V.5987
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`Registering a business in South Africa involves several steps, primarily handled through the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), the South African Revenue Service (SARS), and other regulatory bodies. Below is a step-by-step guide:Step 1: Choose a Business StructureBefore registering, you need to decide on the type of business entity. The common structures in South Africa include:1.Private Company (Pty) Ltd - Most common for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Limited liability for owners.2.Public Company (Ltd) - For businesses that plan to list on the stock exchange.3.Sole Proprietorship - Owned by one person, personally liable for debts.4.Partnership - Two or more people share ownership and liability.5.Co-operative (Co-op) - Member-owned business.6.Non-Profit Company (NPC) - Used for charities and social organizations.` V.5988
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`Investing into the Book Value of a Business for South African Immigration PurposesFor South African business visa and business-related residency applications, the term ``investing into the book value of the business`` refers to the financial commitment a foreign investor makes into a South African company. This investment is assessed based on the book value of the business, which represents its total assets minus liabilities, as recorded in its financial statements.1. Understanding ``Book Value``The book value of a business is the net worth of the company, calculated as:Book Value=Total Assetsâˆ`Total Liabilities\text{Book Value} = \text{Total Assets} - \text{Total Liabilities}Book Value=Total Assetsâˆ`Total LiabilitiesThis means that if a business owns R10 million in assets but has R2 million in liabilities, its book value is R8 million.For immigration purposes, an investor must inject capital that increases this book value, either by adding cash, assets, or investments into the business.` V.5989
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`Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s endorsement of the department’s digital transformation agenda. This initiative aims to digitise and automate all services, making them accessible to South Africans from the comfort of their homes.In his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on 6 February 2025, President Ramaphosa highlighted the importance of investing in digital public infrastructure. He announced plans to implement a digital identity system within the next 12 months to eliminate identity fraud, expand social and financial inclusion, and ensure seamless access to government services. The President also mentioned the launch of a modern Electronic Travel Authorisation system, driven by artificial intelligence, to automate tourist and short-stay visas. ` V.5991
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`A Bloemfontein man, Vuyo Liphoko, has been struggling with the Department of Home Affairs for over 15 years, facing ongoing issues with his identity documents that have severely impacted his life.Liphoko’s ordeal began in 2003 when he was in Grade 10 in Botshabelo and applied for an identity document (ID) both privately and through his school. Despite repeated applications, he never received his ID before matriculating in 2006, which prevented him from pursuing tertiary education.“My birth certificate was an old handwritten one with just my birth date. I applied in Botshabelo and Welkom, where my family lives, but nothing happened,” said Liphoko.He was later advised to apply in Brandfort, his place of birth, yet still had no success. With no ID, he had to abandon his dreams of becoming a medical doctor and take on informal jobs. Liphoko eventually received his ID in 2007. However, another challenge arose in 2009 when his family attempted to amend their surname to his father’s. While his parents and siblings successfully changed theirs, Liphoko’s surname remained unchanged.` V.5992
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`A senior official in the department of home affairs, who allegedly demanded kickbacks from service providers to approve their invoices, has been suspended.On Friday, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber confirmed in an X post that Percy Tshabane, the department`s acting chief of director of employee engagement, had been suspended pending a thorough investigation into allegations that he solicited bribes to approve the payment of service providers. The official in question has been suspended and a full investigation is underway.Home affairs minister Leon Schreiber on Friday confirmed that Percy Tshabane has been suspended pending a thorough investigation.Noko Mashilo/Daily Sun City Press reported on 9 February that one lawyer, who identified himself as Mareng Mareng, had alleged that lawyers were being frustrated by the department`s chief director responsible for legal.` V.5993
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`Shortly after taking office in January, US President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day pause on foreign aid. - and asylum seekers in South Africa have received notices from the United States terminating their funding. - This comes after US President Donald Trump initially ordered a 90-day pause in foreign aid in January. - A human rights lawyer has said the cessation of this sort of funding will have a devastating impact. Just weeks after the United States invited Afrikaners to become refugees, the US Department of State`s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration has cut off funding to civil society organisations providing services to refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa.Shortly after taking office in January, US President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day pause on foreign aid. A month later, and despite pending litigation, the Trump administration has started terminating most US foreign aid contracts and grants, Reuters reported. Organisations in South Africa that provide services to assist refugees and asylum seekers who migrated to the southern tip of Africa have not been spared. ` V.5994
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