VISA REQUIREMENTS BEING PROCESSED IN TERMS OF ACT: DFA
The foreign affairs department sought on Wednesday to allay fears that possible changes to South African visa
requirements could lead to a major influx of people from developing countries around the world. "It is an
internationally accepted principle that the issuance of visas ought to be based on reciprocity," the department
said in a statement. Therefore, the relationship between South Africa and other countries was of great importance, and
the issuance of visas should be addressed through concluding bilateral international agreements, thereby ensuring
reciprocity. The department was responding to media reports that Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and
other Cabinet members wanted to do away with visa requirements for citizens of most African countries and others,
including Russia, China, and India -- about 2.9 billion people. The Democratic Alliance on Tuesday claimed this would
open the serious prospect of millions of people flooding into South Africa to compete for jobs and social grants. In its
statement on Wednesday, the department said it could not be considered fair that citizens from Western countries could
come to South Africa without requirements for visas, while South African citizens had to pay enormous amounts of money
to obtain visas to visit these western countries. "Consistent with that view it cannot be considered fair that
South Africans can travel all over Africa without the need for visas, while African citizens and those from other
developing countries must pay exorbitant visa fees to visit South Africa." The views of Dlamini-Zuma and other
Cabinet members were informed by principles contained in the Immigration Act. These included, among other things, that:
-- temporary and permanent residence permits be issued as expeditiously as possible, on the basis of simplified
procedures, and objective, predictable and reasonable requirements and criteria, without consuming excessive
administrative capacity; -- security considerations were fully satisfied and the state retained control of the
immigration of foreigners; -- the economy had access at all times to the full measure of needed contributions by
foreigners; and, -- the contribution of foreigners in the South African market did not adversely impact on existing
labour standards and the rights and expectations of South African workers. The issue of the immigration regulations was
currently before a committee chaired by Home Affairs Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi, and would be processed as prescribed
by the Act, the department said. Sapa 03/10/04 15-44 C=100
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