South Africa to Review Tourist Visa Rules

“At the same time it (South Africa) must be competing with countries that never had such a challenge”.

President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday said South Africa was unfairly being compared to other countries on issues such as economic growth and job creation, despite the fact that these nations did not experience apartheid.

But he said that South Africa was not all “doom and gloom”, insisting the mining sector’s woes were nothing extraordinary. “I think we can argue what we have done in 21 years … we have policies that are very clear, aligned with the poor people and the working class. In other countries there are no policies aligned whatever”.

Addressing reporters in Pretoria, Zuma said South Africa suffers from “complex historic problems” that are unique on the continent.

Anglo American Plc, Scaw Metals Group and Lonmin are among companies planning to cut about 10,000 jobs in Africa’s most-industrialized economy.

It was estimated that the electricity shortage was costing the economy one percentage point in economic growth.

Zuma highlighted further developments government had implemented to spur economic growth in the country. In the proposal that was rejected, producers cut the wage-deal term to three years from five and said they would increase basic pay.

The government acknowledges there are concerns that new rules requiring tourists visitors to apply in person for visas at a visitor center and for all children to carry a birth certificate with full details of both parents may be discouraging tourism, Zuma said.

Long-delayed new coal plants are due to be completed in the next 2-3 years and Zuma’s government is pursuing a controversial programme to bring 9,600 megawatts of nuclear energy onto the grid by 2030. A cabinet committee led by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will look into the matter, he said.