German arrivals continue to grow, even during SA’s winter months.
German visitors to South Africa have increased by 15% according to the
latest report released by Statistics SA.
The German market has shown a steady increase over the last few
months, with arrivals up by 24% for the month of June compared with
June last year.
Growth in May was 5% and April 15.91%.
There are many contributing factors to the steady increase in arrivals
from this key source market, one being the attractive exchange rate
when visiting SA, the country’s warmer climate and the similarity in
dialect.
Peter Munzig, Managing Director of Travel Management & Consulting in
Germany, said there had been a substantial increase in 2016 vs. 2015
in German arrivals, and tour operators had reported that they expected
another increase this year.
According to Munzig, South Africa is popular for many reasons,
including game viewing, the country’s diversity, countryside hotels
and even its city life.
“The South African winter is a perfect time for tourists to visit,
especially the Kruger National Park, as there are reasonable bus tours
for those who prefer to travel in groups. A plus is definitely that
you do not need any vaccinations for the Cape,” said Munzig.
“If the exchange rate continues to be favourable for foreign tourists,
there is no limit to further increases in visitors,” concluded

Munzig.
The Western and Eastern Cape are firm favourites for German visitors.
Minister of Tourism, Tokozile Xasa and South African Tourism (SAT)
CEO, Sisa Ntshona, attended the Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB)
Berlin earlier this year.
At the trade show there was a panel discussion on SA’s growth strategy
and SA’s status as trend destination 2017, as well as the role Germany
plays for the South African tourism sector, highlighting the
importance of Germany as a key source market.
“In 2016 we attracted more than ten million tourists, who came to SA
from various parts of the world, which is a 13% surge when compared
with tourist arrivals in 2015 and well above the global average of
3.9%. Of these, 31 000 were Germans, making Germany our second-largest
European source market after the United Kingdom,” added Ntshona.
“The number of German tourists coming to SA grew at an impressive rate
of 21.5% and for this reason we are planning to train even more local
tour guides to add to the 400-plus who already speak German in order
for us to better cater for German tourists.”
Ntshona highlighted that the German tourism industry had rewarded
South African Tourism’s outstanding service to travel agencies with a
silver award at its Globus Travel Awards in January. V.2012

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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