SA paid heavy price for Visa Regulations, admits Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom!

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In a surprise moment of honesty, Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom has admitted that ‘South Africa paid a heavy price for implementing the new visa regulations‘, when addressing the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association annual global convention, which was held in Cape Town for the first time earlier this month.

‘I realise the intention of these new regulations was good, but most human trafficking happens inside a country or by means of illegal crossing of borders‘, said Minister Hanekom. ‘The question is what needs to be done in SA if we want to protect our citizens. The reality is that criminals’ papers are often impeccable and you won’t pick them up by means of their passports. They also often cross borders illegally’, he added.

The Minister announced that e-visas will be introduced, already having used them to positive benefit in China, with a 16% tourism increase in January this year compared to the same month a year ago. Words which the tourism industry was waiting to hear from Minister Hanekom for more than a year are reassuring: ‘We are now in regular dialogue with our sister Department of Home Affairs as it is very important for the tourism industry to create easy access’.

Referring to the requirement of unabridged birth certificates for minors under the age of 18 years, the Minister frankly said that ‘excessive rigidity is not helpful’. He added that they had caused ‘untold difficulties‘. He admitted that agreement on the unabridged birth certificates had not yet been reached!

Source: Politicsweb