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"Official statistics" claim Gigaba was right all along on new Visa rules

Source: RDM News Wire., 06/08/2015


Mark Twain told us to be wary of Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics. That
won`t be lost on tourism operators after SA`s Department of Home
Affairs yesterday countered the wave of criticism over the new Visa
requirements. Minister Malusi Gigaba`s worthy servants tell us
real-world evidence is all a lie. OK, so there are the occasional
"unintended consequences" (not sure Ambassador Douglas Gibson would
put it that way) but the official statistics prove those are
exceptions. So who do we believe? Hundreds of tourist-based businesses
now teetering? Or the numbers produced by minions proving Gigaba was
right all along? – Alec Hogg
From RDM newswire
The Department of Home Affairs was satisfied that residents and
foreign nationals were complying with the new child travel
requirements that took effect on June 1‚ largely to promote
enforcement of the Children`s Act and Prevention and Combating of
Trafficking in Persons Act.
"Perceptions that new requirements are impossible or impractical to
enforce hold no water. People are complying in spite of misinformation
and the `talking-down` of South Africa that has been happening‚" the
department said on Wednesday.
"Observing measures for protecting children helps in ensuring minors
receive consent of parents or guardians before travelling‚ in
accordance with national legislation and international obligations for
combating abduction and trafficking in persons.
According to the department 132‚353 children were processed – arrivals
and departures – at ports of entry in June. Of these‚ 1‚878 were
recorded as having not met requirements‚ placing compliance levels at
98%. June arrival of foreign children was 57‚436‚ with departures at
74‚917.
July`s volume of minors` movements was 216‚259‚ with 2‚052 not
satisfying requirements‚ placing compliance at more than 99%‚ "showing
patriotic citizens and law-abiding foreign nationals understand why
it`s important to protect the most vulnerable among us – the children".
July arrivals for foreign children were 128‚839‚ and departures 87‚420.
The department said it had also noted that both Europe and the
Americas showed slight increases for July (year on year) after showing
slight declines for June (year on year).
"For instance‚ for Europe‚ 24‚742 arrivals and departures (children)
were recorded for July 2014‚ and 26‚763 children for July 2015‚
showing a slight increase of 2‚021. For North and South America there
is an increase from 16‚641 of July 2014 to 17‚144 for 2015."
The department said it had noted concerns raised with regard to
experiences of some travellers and was hard at work improving
traveller processing. "With the support of all stakeholders‚ it is
possible to resolve any unintended consequences.
There was no conclusive evidence showing that since the new
immigration regulations had taken effect there had been a sharp
decline in numbers of foreign travellers arriving in SA and that jobs
had been lost.
"When it released the 2014 tourism report‚ on 4 August 2015‚
Statistics South Africa stated that the salient characteristics of the
2014 tourists did not differ much from observations from previous
years. It said that in recent years‚ there has been a general slowdown
in the rate of growth of tourists arriving in the country.
"South Africa`s regulations are not onerous‚ but rationale. They are
applied similarly in some countries‚ including guidelines from the US‚
UK‚ Australia‚ Canada and Schengen countries (26 European countries
that have abolished passports)."
Source: RDM News Wire.


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