Namibia’s home affairs ministry earlier this year introduced visa requirements for 31 countries, citing the lack of reciprocity from them as motivation.
Citizens of Western countries will need visas to enter Namibia starting in 2025. With tourism being a vital sector, critics of this policy argue that it has the potential to deter tourists and stunt the economy. Eben de Klerk, of the Namibian-based Economic Policy Research Association, said: “There cannot be a win. We just shot ourselves in the foot.”
When our neighbours take drastic measures like this, South Africans cannot help but wonder whether their country should follow suit. But the potential negative effects on the economy might be too big of a deterrent.
Receiving more than 10.23 million tourists in 2019, tourism accounts for roughly 3.5% of South Africa’s economy. With just over 2.56 million people working in the tourism industry in 2021, South Africa would be hit hard by a dip in tourism.
Although pro-Western critics might argue that the introduction of visas would be catastrophic for the tourism of a developing country, the validity of their claims should be scrutinised.
There is research suggesting that introducing visas decreases tourism, but that is far from the whole picture. Further research suggests that the type of visa that is introduced and the cost of getting it matters.
Traditional visas deter tourists the most, while other visas do so to a far lesser extent. Visas-on-arrival and e-visas offer a path of least resistance for tourists while allowing host countries the security and monetary measures they require.
Traditional visas require tourists to travel to embassies and consulates in their countries to submit their visa applications and pay exorbitant fees. But visas-on-arrival and e-visas only require an online application and less application fees.
There is also money to be made by introducing visas. The fees tourists pay could raise substantial revenue for public administration. The European Schengen region made €776,880 (about R15.7 million) from rejected South African visa applications in 2023.
If South Africa introduces visas for non-reciprocating countries, it should introduce e-visas and visas-on-arrival with the cost of the visa capped at a figure that meets the costs of processing the application and reserves some revenue for investments in public administration to further boost the tourism industry.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber’s decision to extend expiring long-term visas because of a backlog is a symptom of a system that needs an overhaul. This overhaul should be designed with the introduction of new visa requirements for citizens of non-reciprocating countries in mind.
The need for this is apparent when considering the importance of a nation’s reputation in global diplomacy. Research suggests that a country’s reputation is important in determining the outcome of global policy negotiations.
South Africa has long tried to exert its sovereignty and resist the West’s, especially the United States’, influence over its stance on global matters. An notable instance is South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
South Africa stands at a crossroads where it must choose between convenience and principle. While maintaining visa exemptions may seem like the easier path, it risks perpetuating an imbalance that undermines our nation’s sovereignty and diplomatic leverage.
The introduction of e-visas and visas-on-arrival, with thoughtfully set fees, presents an opportunity not only to generate substantial revenue but also to send a clear message to the world: South Africa will not be coerced or compelled into compliance by the dictates of more powerful nations.
By revoking visa exemptions for non-reciprocating countries, South Africa can assert its independence and protect its national dignity. It is not merely a matter of policy — it is a statement of intent, a reaffirmation of our right to chart our own course in the international arena.
It is time to prioritise sovereignty over convenience and ensure that our nation is treated with the same regard that we extend to others.
Lindani Zungu is the founder of Voices of Mzansi.