THE number of foreign visitors who entered South Africa during the Fifa World Cup period rose to one million up to July 1, the Department of Home Affairs said yesterday.
THE number of foreign visitors who entered South Africa during the Fifa World Cup period rose to one million up to July 1, the Department of Home Affairs said yesterday.
"This figure is expected to rise further as the World Cup enters the final phases," said spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa.
The Movement Control System (MCS), linked to the SA Revenue Service and other law enforcement agencies recorded foreign visitors from June 1 to July 1 as 1020321 compared to 819495 for the same period in 2009. This represented an increase of 200826 or 25 percent.
During the same period South Africa's Advanced Passenger Processing System prohibited 43 undesirables from boarding airlines abroad to enter South Africa. The Home Affairs airline liaison officers in various international airports abroad denied entry into SA to 188 people due to possession of fraudulent documents, as well as failure to meet immigration requirements, Mamoepa said.
The MCS further recorded people from Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Malalwi and Zambia as the top visitors to the country.
They were followed by the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Australia, Brazil and Mexico.
Meanwhile, the World Cup quarterfinal clash between Argentina and Germany drew a record 300000 fans to Cape Town's inner city on Saturday, authorities said. - Sapa
FOREIGN VISITORS FOR CUP PASS 1Mm
THE number of foreign visitors who entered South Africa during the Fifa World Cup period rose to one million up to July 1, the Department of Home Affairs said yesterday.
THE number of foreign visitors who entered South Africa during the Fifa World Cup period rose to one million up to July 1, the Department of Home Affairs said yesterday.
"This figure is expected to rise further as the World Cup enters the final phases," said spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa.
The Movement Control System (MCS), linked to the SA Revenue Service and other law enforcement agencies recorded foreign visitors from June 1 to July 1 as 1020321 compared to 819495 for the same period in 2009. This represented an increase of 200826 or 25 percent.
During the same period South Africa's Advanced Passenger Processing System prohibited 43 undesirables from boarding airlines abroad to enter South Africa. The Home Affairs airline liaison officers in various international airports abroad denied entry into SA to 188 people due to possession of fraudulent documents, as well as failure to meet immigration requirements, Mamoepa said.
The MCS further recorded people from Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Malalwi and Zambia as the top visitors to the country.
They were followed by the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Australia, Brazil and Mexico.
Meanwhile, the World Cup quarterfinal clash between Argentina and Germany drew a record 300000 fans to Cape Town's inner city on Saturday, authorities said. - Sapa