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More people visit South Africa over festive season

13 January 2016

The 2015/16 festive season recorded a 5.3% increase in traveller movement compared to 2014/15, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said in Johannesburg yesterday.

"From 1 December 2015 to 7 January 2016 a total number of 5 390 856 travellers went through our borders, much higher than the total earlier reported for 1 December 2015 to 3 January 2016, that is, 4 798 183," said the minister at a media briefing on 12 January.

Arrivals

He said 1 487 148 of the total were South African citizens, and 3 903 708 were foreign nationals.

"There were 2 003 509 arrivals of foreigners and 706 365 arrivals of citizens, bringing total arrivals to 2 709 874," said the minister. The increase in volumes in terms of arrivals was 7.6% for foreigners and 0.3% for citizens.

it is quite clear that the 2016 peak period had notable increases in traveller movement compared to 2014 and 2015. ...

— Malusi Gigaba (@mgigaba) January 12, 2016

There was also an increase of 4.9% in travellers from Africa, 6.1% from Europe, 7.8% from North America, 15% from Asia, 2.5% from Australasia, 21% from the Middle East, and a decrease of 1% in arrivals from South America.

Gigaba said the top nationalities arriving in South Africa over this period were from Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, United Kingdom, Germany, USA and Namibia.

Departures

Of the 2 680 982 departures, foreigners accounted for 1 900 199 and South African citizens numbered 780 783.

"I thank all travellers and our citizens for their conduct in this period, in spite of challenges in some areas, including long queues. This is receiving our undivided attention," Gigaba said.

Source: South African Government News Agency