Namibia's Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS) has declared that thirty one countries, mainly from Europe, will be removed from its visa-exempt list due to the lack of reciprocal visa arrangements for Namibian citizens.
While the implementation date is yet to be determined, nationals from these countries will need to complete an online application form and obtain visas-on-arrival, as stated by MHAISS.
Visitors from these nations are expected to pay the standard visa-on-arrival fee of NAD 1,200 (R 1,200/€59/$64).
According to The Namibia Tourism Satellite Account, the tourism sector contributes 6.9% to the country’s GDP. The European markets, which are crucial to Namibia’s tourism industry, are included in the list of countries that may now require a visa-on-arrival.
The countries affected by this new requirement include:
There are 31 countries that will now require visas to enter Namibia:
“In recent years, the Republic of Namibia has extended gestures of goodwill and favourable treatment to nationals of various countries. However, despite these efforts, certain nations have not reciprocated. In light of these disparities, the government has deemed it necessary to implement a visa requirement to ensure parity and fairness in diplomatic interactions,” the MHAISS statement read.
Travel News says that this has raised concerns among tourism industry leaders. The Ministry indicated that the implementation date and procedures for issuing visas to travellers from the affected countries would be announced later through diplomatic channels.
“The government emphasises that this measure is not intended to hinder legitimate travel but rather to uphold the principle of reciprocity in international relations. Namibia remains committed to fostering positive and mutually beneficial diplomatic relations with all nations,” said the MHAISS.
Commissioner at BMA, Dr Michael Masiapato said the false reports have caused unnecessary concern among travellers and stakeholders.
“The current processing systems at BMA immigration services is fully operational and designed to handle the high volume of traffic efficiently. There are no systems challenges at OR Tambo International Airport or any of our ports contrary to the claims made in the public domain.
“Our records indicate that average processing times at OR Tambo International Airport remain within acceptable international standards. We continuously monitor and analyse processing times to identify and address any potential bottlenecks,” Masiapato said.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Communication and Marketing, Mmemme Mogotsi, said the BMA prioritizes law enforcement activities at all ports, as well as the safety and security of all individuals entering and exiting the country.
“Our systems incorporate advanced security features to detect and prevent unauthorised entry. The BMA also collaborates closely with various stakeholders such as Airports Company South Africa and customs authorities to ensure a seamless border management process,” said Mogotsi.
Mogotsi encouraged the public to rely communication from the BMA for accurate information.
The South African population has grown by 1.1% in the past year to about 63.1 million. Of this number, 51.6 million are black Africans, followed by coloured people and the white population projected at about 5 175 608 and 4 607 554, respectively. People of Indian and Asian origin are estimated to be at 1.7 million.
The population projections by province, district municipality, local municipality, main-place and sub-place are contained in this year’s report by the Bureau of Market Research (BMR). The report has not only affirmed Gauteng as the most populous province but also that there are more women than men in South Africa.
According to the report released this week, Gauteng is expected to have the largest population of about 15.3 million people, representing about 24.3% of the national population, by the end of this month. The Northern Cape has the smallest population, with about 1.37 million people, which is 2.2% of the country’s population.
The number of men is projected to be about 30.6 million people, with the women expected to be 32.4 million. The population projections guide the allocation of resources more effectively by identifying areas with higher population concentration.
According to Joshua Kembo, a senior researcher at BMR, the report means government must ensure that healthcare, education, infrastructure development and social services are targeted where they are most needed.
He said:
In essence, local governments should use these projections to plan and implement targeted interventions to optimise the resource allocation as well as develop strategies to access the demographic trends
Kembo gave an example of KwaZulu-Natal, which has a population of 12.6 million, saying it would need substantial investment to cater for the people’s needs. KwaZulu-Natal accounts for 20% of the national population.
The report notes that the ageing population has increased slightly, while the youth segment has decreased slightly in the past year. Kembo says this means government should develop strategies to address this demographic trend.
“The 65 to 69 age group has grown from 2.58% of the total population in 2022 to 2.64% this year, with an increased female representation from 2.90% to 2.97%. This trend continues into the 80+ category, which remains stable at 1.1% of the total population but shows a notable female majority at 1.5%, surpassing the male percentage of 0.7%,” states the report.
According to Kembo, this will affect the provision of healthcare and social services:
The South African population is gravitating towards ageing as there is a substantial increase in the proportion of the population reaching 65 and above. This will affect healthcare and social services [provision]. Government should make sure there are adequate resources to cater for this segment of the population, as most of them will be relying on state support as they will be out of employment
With the report also showing a slight decrease in the youth population of those aged zero to 14, Kembo says this represents not only challenges but opportunities for government to create employment for this age cohort.
According to the latest Stats SA report, the official unemployment rate stood at 32.9% in the first quarter of this year, with youth unemployment at 45.5%.
“The sustained yet declining youthful base suggests that, while the immediate workforce replenishment is secure, the gradual ageing will necessitate strategic workforce planning, with a focus on youth skill development to offset the impending retirements of the older working-age population.
“They will need employment after their school years and it means [national] government and local government should ensure [there are] employment opportunities by getting them the right skills for them to be employable.”
While some might see this as a challenge, particularly with the latest unemployment rate among the youth, Kembo believes it creates opportunities to ensure there is always an adequate supply of labour.
He said:
This is a great opportunity that should be taken advantage of by giving the youth education, skills and opportunities as well
But he did raise concerns about the kind of education the youth are getting.
He added:
Are they getting the skills that are required by the industry so they can be employed [later]? Why is this a critical question that we are asking? It is because the unemployment [rate] is substantial. “A number of youth remain unemployed and we know that among them are also those who have attended tertiary [education institutions]. We must have fit-for-purpose training and we must align this training with demand
“Are they getting the skills that are required by the industry so they can be employed [later]? Why is this a critical question that we are asking? It is because the unemployment [rate] is substantial.
“A number of youth remain unemployed and we know that among them are also those who have attended tertiary [education institutions]. We must have fit-for-purpose training and we must align this training with demand.”
The ageing population is a natural phenomenon, says Kembo, as the health infrastructure develops and the eradication of communicable diseases that cause life expectancy to decline.
The Home Office is facing a new Windrush-style scandal after a landmark high court ruling found that the home secretary acted unlawfully by failing to provide documents to thousands of migrants proving they are here legally.
The charity Ramfel brought the legal challenge along with Cecilia Adjei, a healthcare worker and mother of two boys aged 17 and 11, who came to Britain from Ghana in 2000.
The charity said hundreds of thousands of migrants were potentially affected by the Home Office’s failure to provide confirmation documents showing that people who apply to extend their visas are here legally while the applications are being processed. This is known as “3C leave”, an automatic form of immigration status while they wait for the Home Office to process their application.
Some have their jobs put at risk while others face difficulties accessing higher education, healthcare and the right to rent a home because they cannot prove they are here legally.
The case echoes the problems faced by the Windrush generation, who were unable to prove they were here legally and so struggled to work, rent and access benefits.
The judge in the case, Mr Justice Cavanagh, ruled on Friday: “The evidence clearly establishes that a substantial number of those on section 3C leave suffer real hardship through being unable to provide immediate documentary proof of their immigration status and attendant rights.”
He found that the failure to provide digital proof of status to those on 3C leave was unlawful. “The underlying purpose of the legislative framework is that there should be a hostile and unwelcoming environment for those who are unlawfully present and so who are undocumented. The corollary of this is that those who are lawfully here should not face the hostile environment. That can only happen if they are documented,” he said.
The judge urged the home secretary to take a “straightforward step” to avoid hardship for a substantial number of people.
Adjei welcomed the ruling. “What I went through while waiting for my visa to be extended by the Home Office was really stressful,” she said. “I was unable to prove that I had the right to work so was suspended from my employment as a healthcare support worker twice, without any notice.
“I have two children and have to budget very carefully, so we suffered real hardship when my wages suddenly stopped. I had to borrow money and visit a food bank just to get by. It was humiliating and scary as I didn’t have any way to prove to my employer that I still had the correct immigration status and the right to work.”
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Nick Beales, the head of campaigning at Ramfel, said: “Time and again the government’s hostile environment traps and targets people with every right to be in the UK. They assured us they had learned from the Windrush scandal, but these words were clearly hollow. People on 3C leave have had their lives disrupted for years because they have been unable to prove their immigration status.”
Janet Farrell, a partner at Bhatt Murphy solicitors, which represented the claimants, said: “This is a significant victory for my clients and all those who through no fault of their own are left undocumented in an environment which demands proof of immigration status in order to access work, housing and healthcare or hold a driving licence or bank account.”
The Home Office has been approached for comment