With the holiday season approaching‚ the Congress of the People (Cope) said on Tuesday that “the country needs to have clarity on visa requirements”. The party said it had expected Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and the interministerial committee on immigration regulations “to have made an announcement inside of two weeks” after being appointed by President Jacob Zuma.“Unfortunately‚ six weeks have elapsed‚” said Cope’s Dennis Bloem.“The inter-ministerial team has had more than enough time. Government‚ unfortunately‚ is continuing to sustain the anxiety of people in our tourism industry. This is not acceptable.”The team had been set up after stringent rules requiring visitors to South Africa to apply for visas in person and for children to travel with unabridged birth certificates that came into place were said to“The deputy president surely understands the great urgency surrounding the matter‚” said Bloem. “Surely the ministers…recognise the need for a speedy resolution of the impasse that has developed. At a time when the economy needs all the stimulus and support it can get‚ government should not be creating new impediments that wilfully stifle tourism.“Cope urges the Deputy President to act swiftly as the holiday season is now beginning. The country needs to have clarity on visa requirements.“This does not mean that government should neglect the issue of child trafficking. Balance must prevail. We must certainly protect children from being trafficked while at the same time safeguarding the tourism goose that lays the golden egg.”..