SA passport waiting duration is awful

Imagine your passport is South African & you live outside SA. Then suddenly, you wait for 6 months or more to have the application process to be finalised. Same with SA ID (identity document/ID book). 🇿🇦

That have happened to me on my personal experience. 

As I am half South African (born to South African mother in the UK), I completed two applications in 2019 at the SA High Commission (Embassy). The renewal of my SA passport (which was expired in 2010) and my application of South African identity document. For my passport application, it took 7 long months and 223 days (more than 6 months when I collected my first adult SA passport at the High Commission in November 2019). My application of SA ID book, it took 25 months ago (2 years & 1 month) & I collected it last week at the High Commission in Trafalgar Square (Charing Cross), London. 

I can understand the delay was affected due to the coronavirus pandemic that affected every single country in the world (which was reasonable and for that, I understand). However, it is not reasonable when the duration of waiting for South African passport & identity document is very long and that SA passport holders who are living outside South Africa, are waiting for 6 months or more for the application to be done in Pretoria. Not in South African diplomatic missions (High Commissions/Embassies/Consulates). 

Passport application along identity document in terms of duration is mostly done with week or two weeks (14 days) at the SA Home Affairs Branch in South Africa (now there is a ID card there. Smart ID card) & yet, outside SA, it is 6 months & more. That’s unfair, unbearable and frustrating. No wonder there has to be a fast track option instead of waiting for 6 months. Waiting for the passport that is not in top ten of the world’s most powerful passport & that is weak. 

To be honest, before I went to collect my SA ID at South Africa House (High Commission), I was almost close to emailing staff member who work at the High Commission to discontinue my application of ID book as I was fed up with the long length of it. I am patient man who likes to wait for some things but not very long. 25 months of waiting hence my frustration. Can you imagine that? 

How can the Home Affairs (government department in South Africa) allowed this & normalise very long duration of applications for passport & identity documents for SA passport holders who are not living in South Africa? SA passport waiting duration is awful. Unacceptably & unbelievably awful. 

God forbid if that were to happen to British passport holder who happens to be residing in France to be told that he/she would wait to collect UK passport for 6 months or a year at the embassy or Irish passport holder who happens to be residing in the United States & waits for 6 months or a year to collect his/her passport at the embassy. This is an example in hypothetical situations. 🇬🇧🇮🇪🇫🇷🇺🇸

Plus in August 2019, when I went to the Nigerian High Commission with my father who is originally from Nigeria, my application of my first Nigerian passport was smoothly done within two weeks and that my dad went back to the High Commission as I was away on my short holiday to France. Nigerian passport application used to take much long until in the recent years, Nigerian diplomatic missions have improved it & having it done in 14 days in terms of Nigerian passport application & other application instead of waiting for it forever. 🇳🇬

Hopefully one day, there’ll be fast track option to speed up SA passport application instead of waiting for 6 months or more when outside South Africa. Hopefully that can have a tracking reference number to see how the application is processing. 

Sources: 

ewn.co.za 

sapeople.com 

da-abroad.org 

For too long, it had happened to many South African passport holders outside South Africa regarding the application of ppt & ID. I say enough is enough with the long long duration of SA PPT application & ID application for South Africans who are living outside SA. Let this be a message for the South African Home Affairs. 

Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

This blog post have been suggested by friend of mine. So I thought I can talk about Mental Health Awareness Week 2021. 

Start: 10th May 2021      End: 16th May 2021 

Mental health awareness week is an event where charities and individuals raise the awareness of mental health & how it does affect the person who happen to have problems relating to his/her mental health.

Although I do not have mental health problems of all sort, it is worth reminder that we bring awareness about mental health in the society. Whatever we live in the world. 

in the second year of the Covid 19 pandemic, it has all impacted our mental health around the world with lockdown restrictions & that we all equally been affected. 

When Covid 19 started to impacting countries after countries & that we had gone into lockdown, in the UK, for me in my own experience, anything news about coronavirus, I started to avoid watching the news & not watching it too much. I done it just to protect my mind & so that I will not lose my sanity. In other words, I wouldn’t lose my mind by becoming mad (or crazy). 

The pandemic have caused a lot of anxieties that affected everyone mentally, the loss of loved one (sad tragedy), Long Covid & all that trauma contributes to being worried so much with conditions that we know: PTSD & anxiety disorder. This is a secondary problem alongside the coronavirus pandemic. 

Now here is my advice to you guys. 

Whatever your situation is, I want to let you know that if you are struggling, feeling down & that it have affected you, your mental health whether is anxiety, depression or low self esteem, you are loved. You are loved. you can find a help from your family, friend or charity (mental health charity) who can provide a support for you. Seek help if you can to help your mental health and to try to prevent anything that can affect your mental health (doesn’t matter if you have mental health illness or not). We all have challenges in our life.

Regardless that we equally have problems of our own, we can still raise awareness about the mental health of anyone. 

So let’s be all kind to ourselves and each other & not looking down at any person just because the person has experienced or is experiencing an different challenge in his/her life. You do matter in this world & that you can overcome any challenges including things that happens your mental health & other areas of your life. Like I said, you are loved. So stay safe, stay blessed and do things that does make you happy & finding time to be relaxed including meditation or something that can boost up to be strongly mentally. Mental fitness. Anything can help you mentally & your lifestyle. So that is my tips for you guys. 🙂😀 Let’s all make a difference on this week. Mental Health Awareness Week & I just have made a difference by talking about it. 

Here are helpful sources & photos if you want more information. 

mind.org.uk 

mentalhealth.org.uk 

rethink.org 

mhe-sme.org 

Jus Soli in the UK needs changing

Jus soli, fees & immigration system. Jus Soli in the UK needs changing. 

The United Kingdom is not like the United States or Canada when the child is born in either of two countries given it doesn’t matter if parent is US citizen/Canadian citizen or non US citizen/Canadian citizen who are mostly foreign nationals from other countries they (parents) originally are from. Child is automatically either American or Canadian = Birthright citizenship. Basically, automatic citizenship.

Here is an piece of British Nationality Act 1981 regarding Jus Soli. 

“Since 1 January 1983, at least one parent must be a British citizen or be legally "settled" in the country or upon the 10th birthday of the child regardless of their parent’s citizenship status”. 

& yet in the years & even recently I read articles that those people who are born in the UK, doesn’t automatically get British citizenship (& holding the passport) because of different circumstances including being stateless. There are many factors to it. It is not fair on anyone who is British born who can’t hold the UK passport (not being eligible for UK citizenship) and being treated differently as if the person is from different Foreign country that is not his/her home country. Other than the UK.

Sources: 

prcbc.wordpress.com 

t.co 

google.co.uk 

Child citizenship fees in my point of view, are very expensive and exploitive. I recently watched the BBC Panorama documentary about it. jcwi.org.uk  

It really does leave children and teenagers in limbo especially if they happened to be non white with ethnic minority background. london.gov.uk london.gov.uk 

I know that for sure because I didn’t have the UK passport until I was 13 years old. It was because of that I held one passport only. South African passport. My mother who is originally from South Africa who have been living in the UK since the early 90s (over 30 years in 1990) had to waited for many years until she become British citizen in 2008 & me (given I was born in the UK. Same with my disabled brother who also was born here in the UK). She had to get through with paperwork, fees & bureaucracy & all that (same with my father). Despite that my parents are originally from Africa, at the time when I was born, they were legal residents (before becoming citizens of the UK as my dad have been living in the UK since mid 80s). So with that hard work for parents who are originally from different parts of the world (including Commonwealth countries) & gave birth to their children in the UK, it’s suddenly happened on children & teenagers who are being British born & yet being treated differently by the Home Office. Systemically being badly treated by the Home Office. With that all ridiculous child’s citizenship fee. Just to target children who have grow up in the UK or came to the UK when they were very young. 

The government have not really learned its lesson since the 2018 Windrush scandal. I previously talked about it on my previous blog post. Detailing why the immigration system in the UK is ungrateful. mrlimitless95.blogspot.com 

Lastly, the planned deportation of Ace Ruele (British. Born to Jamaican mother in the UK. An actor) on the basis that he committed a crime. t.co 

Come on man!!! Seriously, what is the matter with the Home Office? Deporting your own citizen (who happened to be black) that he had served his time in prison & have never reoffend since being out of prison (as he learned his lesson) by making him stateless (who doesn’t have UK passport). Why deport the guy who was born here in the UK? It really makes zero sense. Even if he committed a crime in the past, doesn’t excuse the fact that Mr Ruele was born here in the UK. You cannot make the person to be stateless even that the UK is not like Canada or the US in terms of birthright citizenship & that jus soli is restricted on the UK.

I do not really know what is wrong with the government. I do know what is wrong for certain with the immigration system. Child citizenship fee (expensive and exploitative) & depriving others (who are British born citizens but aren’t UK citizens by paper & on the system) from becoming the citizen of the country (that he/she know). What kind of country are we people? Denying others who are British born & grow up in the country due to various circumstances. Yet we spent years, talking about Brexit & Immigration non stop. If the government (including Prime Minister Boris Johnson & Home Secretary Priti Patel) & Home Office doesn’t get their act together to solve the problems of child citizenship fees & other thing relating to immigration & citizenship, it would be just a matter of time before we have another scandal. Windrush style scandal. I hope and pray there should not be the case. So on that note, Jus soli must be changed in the UK. If the UK was like the United States & Canada as i mentioned in the first paragraph, there wouldn’t be many recorded cases of person being stateless & not being entitled to British citizenship. It really has to stop (children citizenship fee & good character test) just to deprive those are being born in the UK, wouldn’t be able to get one at all due to different circumstances. Jus Soli in the UK needs changing.

prcbc.org 

bbc.co.uk 

freemovement.org.uk 

Europe Day (without the UK in it)

5 months since the end of Brexit transition period at the start of 2021 (out of the Single Market & the Customs Union. Already a year since the UK left the EU). The UK may thrive outside the European Union but we all know for the fact that it is still an European country. 🇪🇺🇬🇧

There is countries in the European continent that are non EU countries: Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Monaco, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, etc. 

Brexit & isolation (particularly politics of isolation. Politically & economically) undermines the UK - EU relations. Red tape, bureaucracy, customs duties, no frictionless trade, non tariff barriers. 

Especially the recent events with violence in Northern Ireland and fishing dispute between Jersey and France. google.co.uk google.co.uk 

Although it’s good there’s a trade deal, it is no better than the EU membership. 

I hope that the UK & the EU27 can continue to be partners & neighbours by working together on mutual interests on areas (topics) that have to be dealt including combating climate change.

Brexit have turned the UK - EU relations upside down & the government (UK govt) is not seeming to treat the EU27 like a friend & ally. No wonder Scotland really wants to gain independence from the United Kingdom. 

So from the side of the Channel, I want to say to the 27 members of the EU. Happy Europe Day from the UK. 🇬🇧🇪🇺

The UK and continental Europe have an common history together. With the UK in or out of the EU, they both equally have something in common. It’s what unites them than divides them. Great Britain and Mainland Europe. Especially we live in the globalised world. 

So I hope and pray there should be a positive relationship between Britain & the EU. Rather than a hostile & bad relationship.

My vote goes to Tina & Fela

vote.rockhall.com 

My votes go for the induction of Rock & Roll hall of fame 2021. Fela Kuti & Tina Turner as they are in the top two. 🎶🎵🙂

I also voted for other 3 music artists: Chaka Khan, Kate Bush & Jay Z. 

The vote for the nomination of music artists to be inducted in the Rock & Roll hall of fame 2021 will be closed soon. So if you want to cast a vote to any music artists then you should click the link to start your vote. 

There are the list that I have not casted a vote but they are worth it to be mentioned in case if you are interested to vote the following music artists that I will list a names. 

1. The Go-Go’s

2. Iron Maiden 

3. Foo Fighters 

4. Carole King 

5. Todd Rundgren 

6. Devo 

7. Dionne Warwick

8. Rage Against The Machine 

9. New York Dolls 

10. Mary J Blige

11. L Cool J 

You can read up more about the nominees of the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. rockhall.com 

For me I would highly recommend that you should cast a vote for both Fela Kuti & Tina Turner & then other 3 music artists that you can select them to be nominated. I previously wrote a blog post about Fela Kuti. mrlimitless95.blogspot.com 

Go out and vote

Democracy in action and progress.

Democracy is a precious gift to citizens in the countries around the world. You have a freedom to elect a candidate to run for political office. Whether is local, regional or National. Democracy is something that cannot be taken for granted. 

As voters in the UK are going to the polls tomorrow (6th May 2021) for local elections, there is something that can make anyone be less interested to participate voting at the polling station. Voter apathy. 

Now this is something I want to tell you why voting at elections of any kind is important despite wherever you live in the world (unless you happen to live in a country that doesn’t have democracy). 

1. Many movements have campaigned to give the people like me and you the right to vote.

Whether is the women’s suffragette movement, Martin Luther King or Nelson Mandela, they all created a movement to campaign on giving people like myself & you the right to vote. 

2. Political topics matters whether is local, national or international. 

If you cared about the issues & that you don’t like what is happening around you, you can change it by going out to vote. If you don’t vote then how are you be complaining about issues while you haven’t gone to the polling booth. Don’t complain if you didn’t vote at elections. 

Not voting at the elections (for no reasons genuinely, doing nothing & staying at home) could automatically mean you would rather prefer the candidate & the political party that you do not like to win (even you didn’t really give a vote for them physically with ballot paper). Not voting means low voter turnout & that can benefit political party & candidate that you do not like it.

Example. I feel let down & angry & that I strongly dislikes the Tories in the UK. Because of their policies including austerity and Brexit. 

When 2017 general election was announced, I made up my mind that I will not vote & that I will abstain. Because of that, my friends (especially people that I know) convinced me to vote even it is okay to be disappointed where the country is going & with the awful leadership. Friend of mine told me that it is not a wise idea to not be interested to vote even if you are not interested of politics & that if I didn’t voted it then I would have no right to complain about the issues that affects the country & that I would had let the Conservatives win (voter apathy = not voting even you didn’t give a vote to them). Within weeks & I see that the Tories under Theresa May were not doing well, I changed my mind & on the Election Day, I voted. 

So my point is that it is okay to be frustrated & not happy with the political system but not going out to vote, you’ll be making a wrong decision not to do so & that you will later regret it for not doing your duty to vote in a democracy in where you live in the world.

Having said that, voting matters & political topics matters.

So if you get many people to vote in different ways (if not at the polling station but also proxy voting, overseas voting & postal voting/Mail in voting) then that can increase the voter turnout & that you get voter turnout. Example: US Election 2020 with the highest voter turnout in a century. google.co.uk 

There are some countries that voting is compulsory. Australia and Argentina. Here in the UK, it is not compulsory but it is an encouragement for everyone to exercise his/her right to vote. 

Another thing is that voter suppression can block a person from voting. Despite the political opinions or political party you support/don’t support, nobody should ever condone & encourage voter suppression because it is never acceptable. It causes a low voter suppression & there are some in the minority who thinks it is okay to stop people from taking part to cast a vote. So it is not cool. Voter suppression. 

3. Spoiled votes?

Well it is up to you if you want to. However I will not recommend it. It is a waste of time and energy so why on earth would you spoilt a ballot papers? There isn’t a “none of the above” option section. I wish there is one & to be honest, I wouldn’t mind if there is to be “none of the above” option. 

So in my point of view, spoiled ballots is not a wise idea. Like I said, I will not recommend it. It’s your choice. So what you like. 

Conclusion: Democracy can be messy. Politics in general is messy. 

Voter apathy can be dealt with & being resolved when people goes to the polls. The moment when the person who is a registered voter, becomes a statistic by not participating in democracy so please I beg you, do not throw away your vote. It’s okay to be not okay about how the political system is run & how the country is run but if you do throw your vote away by not voting, you will regret it eventually & that you won’t say on the political issues that you do care about. Even if you are not interested of politics. 

So please go out and vote wherever you live in the world. Thank you. 

P.S 

If you do happen to live in the UK, listen up, tomorrow’s Election Day for local elections so it is your duty to participate in a democracy. I made a blog post about local elections 2021 with my endorsement. mrlimitless95.blogspot.com

Online trading is another form of gambling.

Here is my take. 

Since we know how the stock markets operates especially in this day and age with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, online trading (although it is a matter of choice) is another form of gambling & why I do not recommend it. 

1. It is risky. Unless you know the risks, you’ll gamble with investing in things whether it’ll go away your way or not. Situations like this can result in losing money very quickly especially of you are not careful. 
2. Security risks while trading online: Data breaches, viral attacks, phishing and identity theft. 
3. Sometime in some occasions, you happen to be friend with somebody that you do not know on social media platforms & even following someone who has expertise in trading (option trade, Bitcoin/cryptocurrency mining, Bitcoin/cryptocurrency investment, Bitcoin/cryptocurrency investment & all that stuff) & appears to be a nuisance of wanting to get know you personally by persuading you to trade digitally even if you have heard of it or not & that you are either interested for first time & then gamble with it to experience awfully (losing money in nutshell & having a call or text to make a next move to do this & that. All in the name of “capital at risk” stuff) or not interested or had previously done this but have no interest of it anymore. 

For me, being on social media & being followed by followers that you don’t even know can be strangely dangerous. That’s how I always decline kindly the offer of doing trading (online trading) because I do not want to be taken an advantage of any person could potentially & selfishly be cruel, greedy and control freak (manipulator). Especially on my own experience of being victim of scam & fraud.  mrlimitless95.blogspot.com 

Even if someone doesn’t go to the stock market like typical stock market trader, businesses & financial firms do. Now with an app & website.

On final note, how on earth would some people (traders who are doing trading online) become rich suddenly like that? Surely, why waste on these non important stuff that you may not find it enjoyable? 

Where do those people (online traders) spend with money that they have won & gambled with it & seemingly earned enormous amount of money? I don’t know to be exact. At least thank god, I didn’t choose to go with the path of online trading & that I chose to be a blogger, writer/content creator, editor & publisher to earn money via advertisement with Google Adsense. mrlimitless95.blogspot.com 

Gambling is really problematic in all societies in the world. With trading (online trading), this is just another form of gambling. So it’s your choice if you are interested but I will not recommend it. I am dissuading anyone to not have a interest to online trading. It might have good benefits but it comes with a risk. 

That is my take on this.