Johannesburg, Feb 7 – Indian businesses and diplomats in South Africa have expressed their support for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement regarding reforms to the country’s visa system. During his State of the Nation Address at Cape Town City Hall, Ramaphosa stated that South Africa anticipates increased tourism and business from India and China due to the digitalization of its visa processes.
“As part of our reform agenda, we will continue to enhance our visa system to facilitate investment from skilled individuals and boost tourism in South Africa,” Ramaphosa noted. He revealed plans to introduce an Electronic Travel Authorisation system this year, which will provide a secure, fully digital visa application process. This new system aims to utilize artificial intelligence and automation to minimize corruption and expedite the processing of tourist visas.
Ramaphosa also mentioned that over 90 percent of the backlog from more than 300,000 visa applications has been cleared. He emphasized that these proposed changes would convey a strong message that South Africa is open for business and tourism.
Indian companies have previously expressed frustration over visa delays, with some considering redirecting investments to other African nations. Mahesh Kumar, the Consul General for India in Johannesburg, remarked, “There have been challenges with both visas and direct flights. However, we have observed that the governments of India and South Africa are actively working to resolve these issues and create more opportunities for our citizens to engage conveniently. The South African government is making significant efforts in this regard, which is very encouraging and will help strengthen the ties between our two societies in business and tourism.”
Ashish Sharma, CEO of 24 By 7 Travel, a company focused on travel between India and South Africa, stated that the new visa regime is expected to increase tourist numbers to South Africa and encourage airlines to consider establishing direct flights sooner. “This new visa system will enhance travel from a significant market like India. South Africa has immense potential to attract Indian tourists due to its favorable weather, natural beauty, and shared culture and heritage. Unfortunately, previous delays and complex visa processes, along with a lack of direct flights, hindered this potential,” Sharma explained.
“I am optimistic that the visa challenge will be resolved soon, and I believe the issue of direct flights will follow. We are receiving positive feedback from both the government and the aviation sector regarding the possibility of direct flights between India and South Africa,” Sharma added.