DESPITE the tourism
industry’s call to scrap
the requirement for
children under the age
of 18 to travel with an
unabridged birth certificate,
new draft amendments to
the immigration regulations
released by the DHA earlier
this month suggest the sector
finds itself in the same rut it
was when the requirements
were implemented in June last
year.
The new draft amendment
states: “Where a parent or
parents, from a visa-exempt
country, who is or are travelling
with a child, such parent or
parents may be required by an
immigration officer to produce
the child’s unabridged birth
certificate upon admission
into or departure from the
Republic…” Moreover, an
immigration official may refuse
a child admission or departure
from South Africa if they do
not produce the certificate on
request.
A noteworthy change is the
definition of UBCs. It now
means “any document or birth
record issued by the relevant
authority reflecting the full
names and surnames, the
date of birth of the child and
the names and surnames of
the parents of such child”.
Chris Zweigenthal, ce of
the Airlines Association of
Southern Africa, said his
personal interpretation of the
draft amendments was that
there was no change and it
was business as usual.
Board of Airline
Representatives of South
Africa (Barsa) ceo, June
Crawford, said, based on the
draft amendments, Barsa
would continue to advise its
members to ensure travellers
under the age of 18 travelled
with a UBC and that there
was the possibility of an
immigration official denying
entry to a minor who failed
to produce the UBC. Airlines
would then have to carry the
costs of repatriation.
“Once again Home Affairs
treats the tourism sector
with utter contempt. We have
exhausted all possible means
of reasoned dialogue and
persuasion,” says Satsa ceo,
David Frost.
For the year ending March
2016, the tourism sector’s
direct and indirect contribution
to the GDP was almost 9%,
says media liaison officer for
the Department of Tourism,
Praveen Naidoo.
No mention is made in the
amendment of any changes for
South African children leaving
and returning to the country.
The pilot of the project to start
printing parents’ details in SA
children’s passports is due to
start at the end of November
(see TNW August 3).
Mayihlome Tshwete,
spokesperson of the DHA,
says the department will
consider all comments
and advise the Minister on
what decision concerning
the amendments may be
appropriate given SA’s security
and economic interests.
Interested parties have until
October 14 to comment on the
draft amendments by emailing
Tsietsi.Sebelemetja@dha.gov.
za and Zukiswa.Adams@dha.
gov.za.
