Pretoria - Hundreds of Democratic Alliance supporters gathered at Home Affairs headquarters in Pretoria on Friday morning protesting against the new visa regulations.
The crowd, dressed in blue DA regalia, waved placards and danced along Arcadia Street.
The party intends handing over a memorandum to Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba.
Most of the blue placards read: “Gigaba stop killing jobs” and “Save tourism jobs”. A sound system was placed near the Home Affairs main entrance.
The crowd sang, “Wena ulele laptop eNkandla …” (You are sleeping in Nkandla …).
An advisory issued by the party indicated that DA leader Mmusi Maimane will lead the protest.
He will be joined by DA national spokespersons, Phumzile Van Damme and Refiloe Nt’sekhe. Other party officials expected at the protest include DA shadow minister of Home Affairs Haniff Hoosen, shadow minister of Tourism James Vos, Gauteng leader John Moodey, Gauteng chairperson Solly Msimanga and Gauteng North chairperson Fred Nel.
Earlier this month, Statistics South Africa painted a bleak picture for the tourism industry with year-on-year growth from 2013 to 2014 at just 0.1 percent, compared with 3.6 percent between 2012 and 2013 and 10.2 percent between 2011 and 2012.
In June, South Africa implemented new visa regulations, requiring children travelling into and out of the country to carry unabridged birth certificates.
ANA