NEW VISA REGULATIONS TO BOOST ECONOMIC GROWTH

THE GOVERNMENT has made changes to visa regulations for tourists and highly skilled professionals, availed financial support for black farmers and black industrialists and upgraded industrial parks as part of efforts to secure economic growth and deal with unemployment, the president’s office said on Friday. In a statement, the Presidency said President Cyril Ramaphosa had highlighted these and other efforts during his appearance in Parliament on Thursday to give oral answers to legislators’ questions, the first time he was doing so since his election in May. “President Ramaphosa reaffirmed economic growth and job creation as the apex priority of the sixth administration. The president provided evidence of implementation of the economic stimulus and recovery plan introduced by government in 2018 to shore up the economy,” the Presidency said. Ramaphosa told Parliament that a recent intervention in this direction was the designation by the Department of Home Affairs of a number of countries that would receive visa waivers, among them countries with high tourism potential, such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The Department of Home Affairs is also working with the Department of Higher Education and Training towards refining a list of critical skills that will inform future visa regulations. Ramaphosa also told the National Assembly that measures were in place to safeguard key agricultural sectors like the poultry industry, protecting local jobs, the Presidency said. The Ports Authority of South Africa had reduced tariffs by 6 percent in late 2018 while also decreasing container and automotive cargo dues, making it easier to do business in the country. Ramaphosa said funding of R3.9 billion had been released to support black commercial farmers through the state Land Bank. Between September 2018 and July 2019, the Industrial Development Corporation had approved about R14bn in infrastructure funding for roads, human settlements, water infrastructure, schools, student accommodation and public transport. To improve the levels of investment in the economy, the government would host a second investment conference on November 5 to 7. | African News Agency (ANA)