Cape Town - The Department of Home Affairs says it is to decide whether international airlines’ appeal for more time is valid before deciding whether to delay its enforcement of new immigration rules.
The department’s mandate was not to service airlines, but to provide for the safety of people, spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete said.
From October 1, airlines will be compelled not to allow children on board if an unabridged birth certificates cannot be presented.
Twenty international airlines, including Lufthansa, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, want a delay of at least 12 months.
They fear the rules will affect travellers and harm the economy.
“We have not met with any airlines yet, but will do so in the the next few weeks,” Tshwete said.
“We are willing to listen to what they have to say, but first it needs to be established whether their concerns are valid. Servicing airlines has never been our main focus. We will not jeopardise the safety of people because of this.”
The Tourism Business Council of SA, which represents the Board of Airline Representatives of SA, said the department had not yet told it of a possible meeting.
Chief executive Mmatsatsi Ramawela said tourism was one of six major contributors to economic development.
“We would love to sit and discuss the department’s reasoning for changing the rules. Changing them would have dire consequences for the industry. We will make our proposals and hopefully they will take them into account,” she said.
British Airways in southern Africa, which is run by Comair, said it supported the airline industry’s concerns.
Iain Meaker, Comair’s executive commercial distribution manager, said: “The new rules are a big move in the industry. The impact needs to be thought through properly.”
Mkuseli Apleni, director-general of Home Affairs, told MPs yesterday that the government did not want to harm the economy or the tourism sector.
Briefing the portfolio committee on home affairs, he said: “The intention is not to kill the economy or tourism.
“We are not the only country to do this.”
Hoosen Mohammed, DA MP, said he understood the need for the regulations, but was worried about unintended effects on the economy.
“It is introducing more red tape,” he said.
Godrich Gardee, of the Economic Freedom Fighters, said he was worried the new requirement that people apply in person for a visa at a South African mission abroad could prevent those living a long way from missions from applying and visiting the country.
“In big countries like China and India people live far from cities where South Africa has a mission.”
Apleni said the government was in discussions with the Chinese government to open visa application offices in each province.
The provincial Department of Economic Opportunities was drafting a petition appealing for the regulations to be suspended, spokeswoman Bronwynne Jooste said.