Two government ministers, Derek Hanekom and Malusi Gigaba, crossed swords yesterday on the visas fiasco in separate radio interviews. Hanekom, the tourism minister, expressed concern about the "worrying drop" in foreign visitors since the tough new visa requirements were introduced, saying they were harming tourism and investment.He called for ''a better way''.Hanekom was particularly concerned about the 38% drop in tourist arrivals from China, a major contributor to our tourism industry.Home Affairs' Gigaba quickly hit back, saying the new visa regime was aimed at combating child trafficking and that ''profits'' could not be put ahead of the safety of children.A cabinet team has been appointed to review the regulations, which require would-be visitors to provide biometric data when applying for visas, and for parents travelling with children under 18 to carry with them the minors' unabridged birth certificates.The biometric data requirement is difficult to comply with in a country as vast as China, in which there are only two South African consulates, in Shanghai and Beijing.The birth certificate provision adds a layer of difficulty for potential tourists, particularly for single parents travelling with children.It is to be hoped that the cabinet heeds Hanekom's warnings about the stultifying effect of the regulations on the economy and adopts a more pragmatic approach. Tourism, boosted by the 2010 soccer World Cup, is the third-biggest contributor to our GDP and has the potential to create hundreds of thousands of jobs.The contribution of tourism cannot be overstated against the backdrop of huge job cuts in mining and manufacturing and widening unemployment.Safeguarding children is obviously important but Home Affairs' overzealous approach is causing far more harm than good...