Visa-free travel to US? Not a chance

A story that stating that President Donald Trump signed a visa-free travel agreement for South Africa was later slammed as fake news. Picture: Independent Media

A story that stating that President Donald Trump signed a visa-free travel agreement for South Africa was later slammed as fake news. Picture: Independent Media

Published Feb 8, 2017

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Cape Town – Just for a few minutes this week, some South Africans celebrated newly elected US President Donald Trump after reading a story in which Trump signed an executive order granting South Africans visa-free travel to the US.

The story that caused a stir appeared on a website, USA Television.

It stated that a new executive order would permit SA-passport holders to stay “in the US for a maximum period of 180 days for tourism or business purposes only”. It further explained that should South Africans stay beyond 180 days, they would still require a visa.

However, South Africans with dual nationality from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen – the seven nations whose US visas Trump recently revoked – would not qualify for the visa waiver.

“Trump says this measure is to strengthen trade between the US and South Africa,” the story said.

Many locals rejoiced at the news, sharing it online, but a few were able to realise it was fake.

One Twitter user enquired from the official Home Affairs account: “Is the information true that Trump has signed a visa-free travel agreement for SA?”

Mayihlome Tshwete, a spokesperson for Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba, said: “I don’t want to comment on fake news as it only draws more attention to it.” .

Professor Herman Wasserman, from the UCT media studies department, has stressed that South Africans need to be more vigilant about news they consume.

“With the shift to new media, social media is one of the main reasons for fake news,” he said. 

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Cape Argus

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