SOUTH AFRICA: Cocaine Worth R9m Impounded At OR Tambo Airport

30kg of cocaine estimated at almost R9 million was seized by South African Revenue Service (SARS) customs officials in two separate incidents at OR Tambo International Airport on Friday.

In a statement, SARS said collaboration between customs officials and the South African Police Service led to the arrest of a passenger disembarking from a Sao Paulo flight via Johannesburg in transit to Mozambique.

A scan of the passenger’s luggage revealed irregular images and led to a second inspection which uncovered ten boxes of imitation jewellery.

Ninety wooden sticks were found in the boxes concealing a white substance which tested positively for cocaine.

A total of 24.66kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of R7 094 682 was confiscated and handed to the South African Police Service, said SARS.

In the second incident, customs officials intercepted 6.3kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of R1 812 510 concealed in the base of a passenger’s luggage.

The passenger was also on a Sao Paulo flight travelling via Johannesburg in transit to Mozambique.

SARS said both the passenger and the consignment were handed over to the police for further investigation.

It added that the successful operations are part of the increased joint operations between SARS and the South African Police Service.



Tourism Observer

SOUTH AFRICA: "Police" Or Robbers Attack Elderly Dutch Tourists And Steal Their Possessions

A group of elderly Dutch tourists, who were robbed in South Africa on Sunday by men posing as police, have returned home to the Netherlands.

The 36 tourists were attacked while travelling to their hotel from Johannesburg airport, where they had just landed for a three-week holiday.

Their bus was stopped by a fake police car, and at least one of the robbers was in police uniform.

Police have apologised for the incident and promised to find the attackers.

The robbers tied up the bus driver and tour guide, assaulted some of the tourists and stole many of their possessions.

Most of the passengers are 70-plus.

People panicked and even got firearms aimed at them. In two cases, the trigger was pulled but the gun didn't fire, one tourist as said.

One tourist was taken to hospital for treatment to injuries.

We are safe now, but we are in shock and the fun has gone, one of the passengers said.

The Dutch ambassador to South Africa, Marisa Gerards, said the group had decided to return to the Netherlands because most of them had had all of their belongings taken.

She said it had been out of safety concerns that the group had arranged the organised tour, rather than travel independently.

South Africa is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations because of its beauty, affordability and variety.

But it also has one of the highest crime levels in the world,a concern not just for visitors but for those living in South Africa.

Visitors from the region have sometimes fallen prey to muggings in a similar way to the Dutch tourists and, as a result, some African embassies warn their citizens to make sure they are not being followed when leaving the airport.

The authorities are worried that the latest mugging may damage South Africa's image.

Tourism is a critical sector and sustains many jobs.

Tourism Minister Tokozile Xasa said all South Africans should be concerned by threats to the industry.

South Africa's Police Minister, Fikile Mbalula, met the tourists on Tuesday and offered his heartfelt embarrassment over their experience.

He said he hoped they would return to South Africa in the future.

I condemn this robbery in the strongest terms and call for harsh punishment of those responsible, he said.

Tourism is one of our economic drivers and a provider of jobs for the youth. We must work hard to protect this industry, Mr Mbalula said.

It is not the first time robbers have targeted OR Tambo airport.

In March, armed thieves stole containers of cash from a restricted zone while dressed as police.



Tourism Observer

SOUTH AFRICA: Changes To Visa Requirements

Some visa requirements for people travelling in & out of SA have been relaxed.

Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom says his department plans to communicate new changes to South Africa's visa requirements with travel agencies and embassies around the world.

It was announced on Friday that some of the controversial requirements for people coming in and out of the country have been relaxed.

This includes the documents that parents had to carry if travelling with underage children.

Hanekom described as ‘significant’ the changes made.

He says there are other important adjustments.

“The other very significant change is those big growing markets where they will no longer be required to go in person to apply for visas. Applicants will be able to do it through an accredited travel agency. Those are very big changes.”

Hanekom says he's excited about the new changes.

“It’s a package which changes the requirements for travellers to South Africa quite significantly.”

The minister says a campaign will be launched to communicate the changes to embassies and travel agencies around the world.

CHANGES:

WITHIN 3 MONTHS:

- Implement the capturing of biometrics at ports of entry starting with a pilot at OR Tambo, King Shaka and Cape Town airports.

- Look at introducing an accredited tourism company programme for countries like China, India and Russia.

- Consider a long-term multiple entry visa for a period exceeding three months and up to three years for frequent travellers (for business meetings), business people and academics.

- Principals will issue letters confirming permission for children to travel on school tours.

- Extend the validity of the parental consent affidavit to six months.

WITHIN A YEAR:

- Add visa facilitation centres, including in Zimbabwe, United Arab Emirates and Botswana.

- Consider a visa-waiver for India, China, Russia and other countries.

- Look at issuing visas on arrival for persons travelling to SA having in their passports valid visas for the UK, USA and Canada or any other country that applies stringent checks on visitors to their countries, to ease travel for tourists.

- Consider granting a certain category of frequent travellers (business and academics) from Africa a 10 year multiple entry visitor’s visa.

- Open two business visa facilitation centres in Durban and Port Elizabeth, in addition to the centre recently opened in Sandton.

- Print parents’ details in their passports so that they do not have to carry birth certificates.

LONG TERM & BEYOND:

- Install systems for pre-flight checks at international airports.

- Upgrade advance passenger processing systems and implement passenger name record, to enhance risk assessment.

- Finalise automation of the visa and permitting system.