RAZIA VAN DER SCHUUR wrote an open letter to the Department of Home Affairs asking why her husband’s application for a temporary residence visa has been rejected four times.
Dear Director General, Hilda Dlamini of the South African Home Affairs. Please can you help us understand why the application for Temporary Residence Visa for my husband Christian van der Schuur was rejected once again, for the fourth time in 2 years – after submitting all legal documents indicating that he is legally married (now for 5 years), legally and biologically the father of a 4 year old child and legally (was until 3 months ago when you deported him unjustifiably) an employee of IBM for 10 years with a tax number. My child was forced to live without her father for 2 months – and now suffers with anxiety every time her father is not in her sight.
You have rejected many applications and many appeals, all for different reasons – none of which make sense. After the ridiculous expense of a lawyer, you had asked him to come back to SA and apply again but then reject his application right after. What games are you trying to play?
We have been told by many that if we pay amounts between R10, 000 to R100, 000 back door, we’d get our visa within a week. I have proof that a few people I know have received successful outcomes by bribing your home affairs officials. My question is: why must we bribe your officials with ridiculous amounts of money to get a valid visa when I as a South African citizen have a right to a husband, and my child who is a South African, has a right to a father. And my husband who had contributed towards your economic growth has a right to a job of which you allowed him in the country to do as a special skills person.
Why must we also pay thousands of rands to reapply each and every time you reject us. What do you expect to happen now? Must my husband go back to his country and leave us behind ? Will you help pay my rent, pay for my child’s school fees, medical aid, provide us with food and basic needs? Will you help take care of my child in the absence of her father? Will you come and wipe her tears when she cries for him every night?. Please tell me what you expect to happen now.
Nhlanhla Dlamini told us to reapply and hope that the outcome would change using the same documents we used as before and following the same procedure. Does this make sense to you? I await your reply. Please can my people share this until it reaches Hilda Dlamini. She needs to answer my questions. Also tag those who are in the same boat as us. Let’s count them all. #wethankyou #homeaffairscorruptionmustend #endDHAcorruption.
This post originally appeared on Facebook and has been republished with permission from the author.
Editor’s note: The introductory paragraph of this post has been amended to reflect that it was not Home Affairs officials who asked the author for bribes.
