Thank you for this! I'll get on this right away. Yeah to be honest I thought the compensation was a long shot. I don't believe a visa is my right at all, but the lack of humanity in not even giving the reason WHY and leaving people high and dry just baffles me. How unnecessary...

I used an agent to apply for the visa. The same agent that helped me apply for and receive my previous student visa for high school, as well as my parents' visas. I have to say that she is, however, very incompetent, and expects me to pay her R6000 to get the status lifted. Fat chance of that when she got paid for the visa that got me into this big mess which shouldn't have happened under her watch.

Thank you for your answer! I spent 2 months in air bnb's researching and thinking very hard about how I could possibly be v-listed as I had never overstayed or had any problems with the law. My entire family/everyone was bewildered as well because Home Affairs could just not be bothered to give us the actual reason. I was told by an immigration official OR Tambo that I was "v-listed due to a fraudulent visa" and the institution is blatantly just wrong, so it's the only real explanation. I will get in touch with the institution, good idea!

I'm not in a position to pay for an immigration lawyer, unfortunately. I didn't even break the law - how frustrating :( ANY suggestions welcome