Woman launches first court challenge to new visa rules

ONE of the first casualties of the new immigration regulations has launched an urgent application in the Cape Town High Court.

US citizen Shaima Herman, who has been declared an "undesirable person" in terms of the new regulations, has cited Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba and President Jacob Zuma as respondents in her court challenge.

Herman has been waiting for the approval of her spousal visa for two years, during which time she has visited the Home Affairs offices 14 times.

On Tuesday last week Herman was declared "an undesirable person" in South Africa and fined. Her court application comes as economists and industry bosses warn the regulations could scare off investors and drive away scarce skills.

Economist Chris Hart described them as "everything we do not need".

Cape Film Commission chief executive Denis Lille said he had received inquiries from international filmmakers who wanted to shoot films in South Africa. These productions could plough R2.5-billion into the economy but were now in jeopardy .

The Emmy Award-winning series Homeland, which is due to start filming in Cape Town this month, could be hit by costly production rescheduling. - Philani Nombembe