This figure is expected to rise further as the FIFA World Cup enters the semi-finals and the final phases of the tournament.
The movement control system, launched by Minister of Home Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and is linked to South African Revenue Service (SARS) and law enforcement agencies, has enabled the country to monitor movements of persons entering the country, particularly during the period leading up to and during the various phases of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
In this regard, the Movement Control system has recorded a total number of foreigners visiting the country from 1 June to 1 July as 1 020 321 compared to 819 495 for the same period in 2009. This represents an increase of 200 826 or 25%.
During the same period South Africa’s Advanced Passenger Processing System witnessed a total of 43 undesirables being prohibited from boarding airlines abroad to enter South Africa.
Meanwhile, the Home Affairs Airline Liaison Officers in various international airports abroad have denied entry into South Africa to 188 persons due to possession of fraudulent (visas, permits, travel documents and stamps) documents and failure to meet immigration requirements.
The Movement Control System has, furthermore enabled the country to facilitate the swift departures of national teams that did not qualify for the next rounds of the FIFA World Cup including: Greece, Nigeria, Serbia, Slovenia, New Zealand, Denmark, Italy, Korea DPR, Korea Republic, Cote d’ Ivoire, Australia, Honduras, Mexico, Switzerland, United States of America (USA), England, Japan, Chile, Cameroon and Algeria.
The Movement Control System has further recorded the following nationalities as among the top visitors into the country for the period coinciding with the FIFA World Cup: Southern African Development Community (SADC) (Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Malawi and Zambia) followed by the UK, USA, Germany, Australia, Brazil and Mexico.
