A major overhaul of SA’s visa regime is needed, and during his upcoming investment conference, President Cyril Ramaphosa should address the issue, according to Business Leadership SA (BLSA), reports Fin24.

‘The President could use the opportunity to announce a credible intervention to fix the visa mess. That would go far to addressing one of the major sources of a lack of confidence in South Africa's investment case,’ the BLSA says in its latest newsletter.

Visa administration problems at the Department of Home Affairs are unacceptable and a serious impediment to the South African economy, according to BLSA.

The slow processing of applications for work visas and the extension of existing ones create an ‘impossible situation’ for companies doing business or wanting to do business in SA.

This is despite efforts by Operation Vulindlela in the Presidency to revise the scarce skills list, the BLSA said in its weekly newsletter yesterday.

‘For company executives, the uncertainty created by the administrative chaos is a massive turnoff. If a company is considering the location of their regional headquarters, how does South Africa compare to competitors such as Dubai?’ asks the BLSA.

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