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Unabridged birth certificate requirement for travel will harm tourism: IRR

The South African Institute for Race Relations (IRR) has asked the department of home affairs to delay implementing the requirement of an unabridged birth certificate to fly with children.

The IRR‚ in a statement on Thursday‚ warned that the “onerous” new travel regulations‚ which come into effect within a month‚ will harm South Africa’s tourism industry.

IRR CEO Dr Frans Cronjé said the requirements “could see international tourists choose other travel destinations over South Africa”‚ the statement said.

Cronjé said that‚ unlike SA’s primary and secondary industries — agriculture‚ mining‚ and manufacturing – which were in long-term decline‚ the tourism industry “had the potential to replace the jobs lost in those declining sectors”.

“The danger‚ therefore‚ is that South African policy-makers are closing off another avenue of employment to poor and unskilled people – especially in rural areas where tourists might have travelled to‚” the IRR statement said.

“This will be bad for the economy‚ bad for jobs‚ and bad for South Africa.”

The IRR suggested the department delay the implementation of the birth certificate requirement and re-draft its travel policy.