Protection of South African Citizens by the South African Government doing Business in the United States of America

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

FOR WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION NO 164

PUBLISHED IN THE INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 4 OF 11 JUNE 2004

DR SEM MPHEKO TO ASK THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

Whether, with reference to the rejection by the USA Embassy in Pretoria, even after police clearance was furnished, of visa applications from South African citizens who were involved in the liberation struggle, she or her department intends taking any action in the event of similar cases in future to protect South African citizens' rights to do business in the United States; if not, why not, if so, what action?
N197E

REPLY:

Each country has their own rules and regulations regarding visa requirements. Most cases of this nature have been brought to the attention of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the department has done everything possible to assist.

The department is unaware of instances where such application(s) by former cadres of the liberation movements for a waiver of the visa denial have not been accepted. There were instances where non-governmental visa applications could not be processed on time due to the fact that applications were made on the eve of the scheduled journey.

The US State department has also assured our Embassy in Washington that the problem is of a technical nature and that it is not intended as a reflection on the liberation movement's contribution to the anti-apartheid struggle at all.

The department has and will continue to engage the US authorities to find a workable solution to the problem.

END