Cape Town – Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader and Sports, Art, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has commented on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s plans to facilitate trade between South Africa and Nigeria, particularly regarding the granting of five-year multiple-entry visas to qualifying Nigerian businesses.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Presidency provided clarification on Ramaphosa’s comments about simplifying the visa process for Nigerian nationals.
“This is part of the visa reforms initiated by the South African Government to enable economic activities and boost tourism while protecting our national security. The modernisation of the visa application process does not compromise the integrity of the visa system,” Presidency spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya said.
The Presidency wishes to clarify a misunderstanding that appears to have arisen from President @CyrilRamaphosa’s opening remarks at the SA-Nigeria Bi-National Commission yesterday (03 December 2024) about the simplified visa process for Nigerian nationals https://t.co/HLqKmEn6yw pic.twitter.com/B9KRydRcgn
— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) December 4, 2024
He said that travellers intending to apply for a visa no longer needed to submit their passports with their applications. Instead, they were only required to provide certified copies of the passport’s biopage, with the actual passports to be presented during the application process.
“Once a visa has been approved, they are required to submit their passports for the process to be completed and for the visa to be affixed to the passport,” Magwenya said.
Despite his well-known stance against illegal immigration, McKenzie did not oppose the decision, saying that while the PA is part of the government of national unity (GNU), it does not always get its way.
Taking to the social media platform X, he emphasised the importance of supporting the collective success of the GNU, even if certain decisions differed from PA’s ideals.
“The PA is part of the GNU. We are not the only party; we are different parties with different ideologies. We have achieved great success, but it would be foolish of us to expect to have it our way all the time. We are part of a collective, and some things will not go our way,” McKenzie said.
“We love the GNU as we love the PA. We have made great strides as a party. We can’t distance ourselves from decisions that we disagree with, we are a team. We are not arrogant or snakes. We keep on fighting from within.”
@OnsBaizaNie is part of the GNU, we are not the only party, we are different parties with different ideologies. We have achieved great success but it will be foolish of us to expect to have it our way always, we are part of a collective and some things will not go our way always
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) December 4, 2024
McKenzie reiterated that the PA would continue to influence the government from within, acknowledging both progress and the need for patience in pushing their values forward.
“The GNU has been greatly influenced by the PA, always. We have moved the needle, maybe not as fast as you or we might have liked, but moving the needle we did. We are realistic and will continue to fight from within.
“‘Abahambe’ is our mission as the PA. We have never changed, and we will never change. We have made the decision to fight from within the GNU. Should we leave because a decision we are not happy about has been made? We are not children.”
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Picture: X/ @MinisterMcK
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
