Parliament - Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa used the national security card to defend the visa and immigration regimen against opposition claims that it was behind job losses in the tourism sector.
“The Immigration Act and its regulations are aimed at striking a balance between the need to protect our sovereignty and national security, to advance the national development agenda and to honour our international obligations. As a country, we cannot compromise on our sovereignty or our security,” he said during his question slot in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
However, the inter-ministerial committee, formed under his chairmanship to resolve the immigration rules’ unintended consequences, would meet “fairly soon” and report back on potential remedies.
Ramaphosa was responding to a question from DA leader Mmusi Maimane, who on Wednesday told the deputy president there simply were no unintended consequences as government had been warned about job losses.
“There has been no audit of the security threat that required these visa regulations… tourism was the only sector that created jobs until your government decided to intervene,” Maimane said. “We can’t simply say we need another inter-ministerial committee. What are you going to do to settle the impasse between Tourism Minister (Derek) Hanekom and Home Affairs Minister (Malusi) Gigaba?”
Taking a political dig at the opposition, Ramaphosa said, “if there is a government concerned about resolving jobs, it is the Jacob Zuma government”, and amid heckles continued, “The nine-point plan is being implemented and it is beginning to have good effect. It is possible you are blind and cannot see.”
The visa regulations have been sharply criticised for being convoluted and not supported by the necessary infrastructure at missions abroad.
Several news reports have recounted how families’ have had to abandon their travel plans at the last minute because children did not have the required unabridged birth certificates.
Home Affairs received 185 641 applications for unabridged birth certificates in the 13 months to June 2015, according to a parliamentary reply.
Cape Argus