Cape Town - The battered rand is proving to be a boon for the tourism
industry as it offsets some of the damage done by burdensome new visa
laws.


Despite warnings from industry groups that the restrictions would keep
holidaymakers away, data collected at border posts and airports show a
7% jump in foreign visitors in the peak year-end holiday period
compared with a year ago. That`s a sharp turnaround since mid-2015,
when visitor numbers had slumped.


The rand`s 31% nosedive against the dollar since the start of last
year has made it a whole lot cheaper for foreign tourists to view
giraffes and elephants in South Africa`s national parks and get to its
sandy white beaches.


The cost of a pint of beer in a pub starts from R25 ($1.50), about a
quarter of the price in London.


"South Africa is very good value," John Porter, a photographer from
the UK, said during a visit with his wife to Cape Town`s Waterfront
complex. "We are getting more for our money than when we came here
last year. We`ll come back."


The new visa regulations introduced in May 2014 require travellers
from countries including China, Russia and India to apply for visas in
person, while visitors accompanied by children need to be in
possession of their detailed birth certificates - measures

the
government said were necessary to bolster state security and combat
child trafficking. The government is in the process of easing some of
the restrictions following concerns raised by tourist operators.


The Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA), last year
warned that the stricter laws would cost the economy about R7.5bn a
year in lost revenue. The industry employs about 1.5 million people
and accounts for 9% of gross domestic product.


Data collected by the Home Affairs Ministry show the opposite. About 2
million foreigners visited South Africa between December 1 and January
7, up from 1.87 million a year earlier.



The number of visitors from Europe rose 6.1%, from North America 7.8%
and from Asia 15%.


SATSA says the data from the Homes Affairs Ministry has not been
verified. The real impact of the visa rules can only be assessed once
Statistics SA publishes official tourism data in a few months' time,
according to David Frost, chief executive officer of the industry
group.


"Even if the 7% number is correct, considering the exchange rate we
should be getting 27% more tourists," Frost said in an emailed
response to questions. V.1562

One of the highlighted topics: Critical Skills Visa.

- Key Insight: Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast track to working in South Afr...
- This matter relates to critical skills visa and its broader implications.
- Individuals are advised to seek professional guidance.

Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast trac V.6139
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One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, became a victim of identity theft in 2012 when fraudulent transactions occurred, using her personal details.

-The Pretoria High Court found that the department of home affairs had violated constitutional rights without due process.
-Only half of Lawyers for Human Rights` test group has been unblocked, while 385 000 identities remain blocked nationwide.
-LHR appeals extension, urges affected people to seek help now.

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) are intensifying pressure on the department of home affairs over the national ID-blocking crisis, accusing the state of acting too slowly to unblock qualifying individuals despite a landmark court ruling.

In January last year, the Pretoria High Court found that the department`s practice of blocking IDs without due process was unlawful and unconstitutional. One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, a Swati citizen and South African permanent resident since 1998, fell victim to identity theft in 2012 when fraudsters used her personal details.

 V.6133
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6128
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6129
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A Washington state mother and her 6-year-old son have been released after spending more than three weeks in US immigration detention due to a brief trip to Canada and a small paperwork mistake, her attorney told CNN on Saturday.

Sarah Shaw, a New Zealand citizen who has lived legally in the US since she arrived in 2021, was detained at the Blaine, Washington, Customs and Border Protection checkpoint when returning home after dropping her two oldest children off at the Vancouver airport for a flight to visit their grandparents in New Zealand. Shaw, 33, chose the flight out of Vancouver because it was direct and she didn`t want her children to have to navigate a layover alone, her attorney Minda Thorward, told CNN.

 V.6130
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On 22 July 2025, the Gauteng High Court dismissed Sitrusrand Boerdery`s review of the Department of Employment and Labour`s refusal to issue a Working Conditions and Salary Benchmarking Certificate, an essential precondition for obtaining corporate visas under the Immigration Act.

Acting Judge Kekana AJ held that the Department`s decision was lawful, rational and procedurally fair. This judgment illustrates how businesses can - and must - structure their corporate visa applications to meet statutory requirements, and how legal practitioners should prepare robust review challenges when administrative authorities decline to recommend foreign-work permits.

 V.6131
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The United States could forfeit an estimated 9.4 billion dollars in visitor spending over the next three years following the introduction of a new 250 dollars `visa integrity fee,` according to industry groups, who warn the policy risks undermining tourism and costing thousands of jobs.
The United States’ decision to introduce a 250 dollars `visa integrity fee` on international visitors has triggered sharp criticism from the global tourism industry, with officials warning that the measure could deter millions of travellers and cost the U.S. economy billions.
The 250dollar `visa integrity fee,` part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed on July 4, 2025, will take effect later this year. According to immigration law firm Envoy Global, it applies to all nonimmigrant visa holders which include students, tourists, temporary workers, and business visitors particularly from African countries. V.6132
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6127
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1. Right to Legal Representation•You have the right to consult with a legal representative.•Contact an immigration practitioner, legal aid clinic, or attorney urgently.•Do not sign any documents without understanding them fully. 2. Section 34 of the Immigration Act•You must be brought to court with 48 hours to confirm arrest but you can remain locked up very long as courts figure out what to do with you •If you`re found to be illegally in South Africa, you may be detained for up to 30 days (extendable by a magistrate) pending deportation.•BUT this cannot happen arbitrarily. You must be informed of your rights, and Home Affairs must follow due process.- becomes a nightmare , you could lose your job , business , place to stay V.6121
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Driving for Bolt, Uber, Mr D, or Checkers Sixty60?If you`re undocumented, you`re risking more than just your income.The Risks if You`re Not Legal: - Vehicle impoundment - Heavy fines - Arrest & deportation - Permanent bans from working in SA V.6122
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