Zuma publicly chastises Gigaba, orders immediate review of Visa regulations

Source: Biznews, 12/08/2015

South Africa occupies among the most beautiful 1.2 million square
kilometers on earth. This, together with other attributes, makes it an
obvious destination for global travellers and their hard currency.
Obvious logic which has encouraged hundreds of thousands of South
Africans to dedicate their careers to the in-bound tourism sector. But
logic is a poor bedfellow for some politicians, especially volatile
Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba whose fabrication of "facts" to
suit his ill-conceived new Visa regulations has dealt a massive blow
to the sector. And caused extreme embarrassment when the stories went
viral, like that of abusive treatment meted out to visiting family
members of former MP and Ambassador Douglas Gibson. Yesterday,
business leaders met with President Jacob Zuma and his economic
cluster. The impact of Visa regulations was on the agenda. Last night
the President publicly chastised his colleague by announcing Gigaba`s
dictat will be reviewed. Sanity prevails. Hope springs eternal. – Alec
Hogg
By Joe Brock
PRETORIA, Aug 11 (Reuters) – South African President Jacob Zuma said
on Tuesday ministers would review new visa rules that have hit tourism
and stoked tensions within the ruling party.


Last year South Africa implemented regulations requiring visitors to
provide biometric data when applying for visas, a problem for people
in large countries like China, which only has South African consulates
in Beijing and Shanghai.


Further rules implemented in June require parents to carry unabridged
birth certificates for their children when travelling to South Africa,
a move heavily criticised by the tourism industry and foreign
governments.


"We have noted with concern the complaints about the new visa
regulations," Zuma told reporters in Pretoria, where he was providing
a mid-year review on the economy.


"The ministerial committee will address the unintended consequences of
the new immigration regulations on various sectors, including tourism
and investment."


The new birth certificate rules have fuelled a rare public spat within
Zuma`s African National Congress (ANC) party.


Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom said last month the rules had to be
changed after visitor numbers dropped, prompting a backlash from Home
Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba who argued they were needed to stem
child trafficking.


ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe last week reprimanded both
ministers for publicly bickering.


The visa row is the latest headache for Zuma, who is under pressure
over sluggish economic growth and high unemployment.


Zuma said the most pressing task for Africa`s most developed economy
was to ease chronic electricity shortages, which were cutting 1
percent off GDP growth.


South Africa`s economy grew 1.5 percent last year but Zuma said he
hoped this would rise to at least three percent over the next three
years if power constraints eased.


South Africa`s heavily-indebted state power utility Eskom is
struggling to keep the lights on due to insufficient generating
capacity, increasing costs for industries like mining and
manufacturing and discouraging new investment.


Long-delayed new coal plants are due to be completed in the next 2-3
years and Zuma`s government is pursuing a controversial programme to
bring 9,600 megawatts of nuclear energy onto the grid by 2030.


Zuma said the nuclear plan was at an "advanced stage" and procurement
should be concluded within the current financial year.


Zuma`s opponents have questioned the high cost and perceived lack of
transparency of the nuclear plan, which could cost 400 billion to 1
trillion rand ($32-$81 billion).