Staying with visa issues. South Africa plans to ease some immigration rules to boost tourism and business. Foreign students, business travelers, frequent visitors and residents of some BRICS countries are among those who will benefit from the new rules. CGTN's Yolisa Njamela has more.

The changes to immigration rules are part of a broader economic turnaround strategy that was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa last week. The strategy is meant to help lift the country out of recession. The changes also follow concerns raised by the tourism sector.

YOLISA NJAMELA PRETORIA "Cumbersome visa application processes have had a negative effect on tourism in this country. The tourism industry continuously criticized the regulations, saying they were adversely affecting business."

The changes will include the simplification of the rules of the travel for foreign national children. 

MALUSI GIGABA S. AFRICAN HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER "The key changes will be that rather than requiring all foreign nationals who are minors to carry documentation which proving parental consent and certificates of birth, we will rather strongly recommend that the parents of these minors carry the documentation. Our immigration officers will only insist on documentation by exception - in high-risk situation rather than for all travelers. Rather than denying entry where documentation is absent, travelers will be given an opportunity to prove parental consent or relations with the child."

An international travel advisory to this end will be issued by the end of October after consultation with the Immigration Advisory Board. Traveling to South Africa will also get a whole lot easier for Chinese and Indian visitors.

MALUSI GIGABA S. AFRICAN HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER "We are simplifying visa requirements for countries such as China and India. This will make provision for taking biometrics on arrival in South Africa, allowing visa applications via courier services and issuing five-year multiple entry visas."

The department will also be reviewing the visa regime for African countries.

MALUSI GIGABA S. AFRICAN HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER "We are reviewing our visa regime for other African countries in line with the African free movement agenda. Where we are unable to waive visas for objective risks, we will implement other measures to ease travel."

Gigaba says these changes will be implemented in good time for the festive season, when many people will be travelling with children. Yolisa Njamela, CGTN, Pretoria, South Africa.