Wednesday, 12 August 2026

Home Affairs launched the electronic travel authorisation, promising online visa applications, facial recognition, 24-hour processing and pilot results of 210,000 applications with 6,100 fraud declines.

Tourism leaders backed the ETA as a long-delayed fix for airport queues and said it should make South Africa easier to visit, especially for Chinese and Indian travellers.

Proposed trust-law reforms would force annual financial statements and tighter disclosure, with penalties of up to R10 million or five years’ jail for false information.

July’s economic activity improved after fuel prices fell, but the economist warned that further petrol hikes are likely in September unless oil prices ease or the Middle East conflict settles.

The work-and-career segment argued younger staff job-hop because of unemployment, weak career paths and better pay elsewhere, with a call for stay interviews and stronger staff development.