Citizens of Ghana no longer need a visa to travel to South Africa. This is because the South African Government has added Ghana to the list of its visa-free countries. This was captured in a post on South Africa’s Home Affairs Twitter handle. Other countries that were added to the list of visa-free countries include Qatar, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Sao Tome and Principe.
A separate statement from the Home Affairs Minister, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi said: “Out of the 193 countries who are member states of the United Nations, the Department has granted visa-free status to 75 countries.”
He said, out of the number “16 are in our [African] continent and are SADC members and 59 are from all over the world.”
He went on further to announce seven countries that have been added to the visa-free list which included Ghana.
Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi said they “will immediately enter into discussions with them about how a visa-free regime will work. We still have some homework to do for 3 countries whose combined populations make up close to 30% of the world’s population i.e. China, India and Nigeria,” the statement added.”
Today, we wish to announce an addition to our visa – free countries.
These are:
•Qatar
•United Arab Emirates
•New Zealand
•Saudi Arabia
•Cuba
•Ghana
•Sao Tome and Principe@travel24 @tourism_gov_za#DHABudgetVote2019 pic.twitter.com/u6edTwkWxu— HomeAffairsSA (@HomeAffairsSA) July 10, 2019
Below are excerpts of the statement by the Home Affairs Minister with regards to visa waiver:
While Home Affairs Department core mandate is issuing identification, we also contribute significantly to economic growth.
We do this by making life easier for our sister Departments such as Tourism to boost their tourism figures. Tourism will soar if we relax visa requirements for entry into South Africa. We know that Tourism is very important for job creation.
Out of the 193 countries who are member states of the United Nations, the Department has granted visa-free status to 75 countries. Of these 16 are in our continent and are SADC members and 59 are from all over the world.
We will immediately enter into discussions with them about how a visa-free regime will work. We still have some homework to do for 3 countries whose combined populations make up close to 30% of the world’s population i.e. China, India and Nigeria.
While we are busy tackling the matter of the three countries.
For now, we shall this financial year, increase 2½ times the number of people who work for Home Affairs to process visas in both China and India.
We shall increase 2 times the number of people who process visas to our country in Nigeria.
