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TOURISM NEWS - South Africa has taken a major step towards transforming the way international travellers enter the country with the official launch of its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system.
President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the digital system at OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday, describing the reform as more than simply the introduction of a new online platform.
“This is far more than the introduction of a new digital platform. It is a statement about the kind of country we are building,” Ramaphosa said.
He said the ETA would help make South Africa more open to legitimate travellers, more secure for citizens and more competitive in the global economy.
New ETA system aims to make travel to South Africa easier
Eligible international travellers will be able to apply for travel authorisation online without visiting a South African mission or visa processing centre.
Ramaphosa said the ETA would make travel to South Africa easier, faster and more predictable, while supporting tourism, trade, investment and the exchange of skills and knowledge.
At the same time, the system is intended to strengthen border controls and improve government's ability to manage migration.
“The Electronic Travel Authorisation system will make travel to South Africa easier, faster and more predictable. It will encourage tourism. It will support trade. It will attract investment,” the President said.
Visa reform seen as economic and jobs intervention
Government says making it easier for legitimate visitors to enter South Africa could boost economic activity and create opportunities for local businesses and workers.
Ramaphosa placed the ETA within the broader competition between countries for tourists, investors, students, conference delegates and highly skilled professionals.
He said cumbersome administrative processes and unnecessary delays could discourage people from choosing South Africa as a destination.
“Visa reform is not simply an immigration reform. It is an economic reform. It is a jobs reform,” he said.
The President highlighted the economic benefits that can flow from increased international arrivals, including more hotel bookings, restaurant visits, tour operators, flights, conferences, exports and investment.
“More visitors mean more hotel bookings, more restaurants filled, more tour operators employed, more flights, more conferences, more exports, more investment, and more opportunities for South Africans to earn an income and build a better future,” he said.
Electronic Travel Authorisation creates digital gateway to South Africa
The ETA forms part of the Department of Home Affairs’ digital transformation programme, Home Affairs @ home.
The new system forms part of the Department of Home Affairs’ vision of creating a fully digital department that provides secure, efficient, accessible and world-class public services.
Eligible travellers will be able to submit applications online from anywhere in the world.
Applications are expected to be processed more quickly, providing travellers with more predictable decisions and an improved experience.
The system was initially introduced in four strategic source markets – China, India, Indonesia and Mexico – in support of South Africa’s G20 Presidency.
Government plans to expand the ETA to additional countries, while digital processing is expected to eventually extend beyond visitor authorisations to include work visas, study visas and other immigration services.
VIDEO: South African Government
Faster international travel without weaker border controls
President Ramaphosa stressed that modernising immigration processes does not mean compromising South Africa’s border security.
The President said technology would allow government to obtain more information about travellers before they arrive and strengthen biometric verification, identity management, risk assessment and border security.
“Let me be absolutely clear. A modern immigration system is not a weaker immigration system. It is a smarter immigration system,” he said.
The system is intended to help authorities identify people who seek to abuse South Africa’s immigration system while allowing lawful travellers to enter the country more efficiently.
Ramaphosa said the ETA would therefore support both economic openness and national security, in line with government's Comprehensive Approach to Migration Management.
OR Tambo launch highlights South Africa’s global ambitions
A live demonstration at South Africa’s busiest international airport showcased the faster, digitally enabled travel experience the government wants visitors to experience.
During his visit to the processing facilities, Ramaphosa was taken through the ETA system by Border Management Authority (BMA) Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato.
A tourist's application was used to demonstrate the system, with the speed of the process highlighting the intended benefits for international travellers.
Ramaphosa said OR Tambo International Airport was a fitting location for the launch because it is South Africa’s busiest gateway to the world and bears the name of struggle icon Oliver Reginald Tambo.
“For many years, OR Tambo travelled the world to rally support for the struggle against apartheid. He carried South Africa’s hopes across continents.
“He took South Africa to the world. Today, through this new system, we are strengthening the way in which the world comes to South Africa,” he said.
The President said the system honoured Tambo’s legacy by ensuring that South Africa’s welcome is not only warm, but also modern, efficient and secure.
The launch also coincides with the country’s Milestones of Freedom campaign, themed “Honouring the Past. Delivering the Future”.
The year-long campaign, launched in June, promotes social cohesion, reflects on South Africa’s democratic journey and combines historical remembrance with community service delivery.
ETA forms part of Operation Vulindlela reforms
The new travel system is part of government’s wider programme to remove barriers to economic growth, investment and job creation.
The ETA is being implemented as part of the structural reforms under Operation Vulindlela, established in 2020 to address longstanding constraints on South Africa’s economic growth.
Ramaphosa said these constraints have affected areas including electricity, logistics, telecommunications, water infrastructure, the ease of doing business and the immigration system.
“These are not isolated reforms. Together, they are removing barriers to growth, investment and job creation. They are making South Africa a more competitive economy,” he said.
He said the reforms demonstrated that meaningful change is possible when government works with purpose, urgency and in partnership with other stakeholders.
Government departments urged to work together
The success of the ETA will depend on cooperation between government departments, border authorities, the tourism and aviation sectors and technology partners.
Ramaphosa said the Department of Home Affairs, BMA, South African Revenue Service, Department of Tourism, South African Tourism, aviation industry, diplomatic missions, technology partners and private sector would all have important roles to play.
He described South Africa’s borders as strategic national assets where security, trade, tourism, logistics and economic development intersect.
“Our borders are not merely points of entry. They are strategic national assets. They are where security, trade, tourism, logistics and economic development come together. They demand that government functions as one integrated system,” he said.
The President commended the Department of Home Affairs, BMA, participating government departments, technology partners and other stakeholders involved in implementing the ETA.
South Africa seeks a more open, secure global future
Government says the ETA represents a new chapter in South Africa’s approach to international travel, balancing economic openness with stronger immigration controls.
Ramaphosa said the system ultimately represents a vision of a South Africa that is both open and secure – a country able to welcome legitimate international travellers while protecting its borders and advancing its economic interests.
“Today’s launch is about much more than visas. It is about the future of our country,” he said.
He said South Africa must be a country that welcomes the world with confidence, attracts investment, embraces innovation and ensures that public institutions are efficient, modern and responsive.
“This is the country we are building. It is a country that understands that economic growth requires both openness and security. It is a country determined to compete with the best in the world.
“Above all, it is a country committed to creating work, expanding opportunity and improving the lives of all its people,” Ramaphosa said. - SAnews.gov.za
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