Ramaphosa Backs SADC Tourism UNIVISA for Seamless Southern Africa Travel

President Cyril Ramaphosa used his keynote address at Africa’s Travel Indaba 2026 to push for accelerated progress on a SADC Tourism UNIVISA — a single multi-country authorisation that would allow international visitors to move freely across Southern African Development Community member states without applying for separate visas for each country.

The announcement was made during the official opening of the Indaba in Durban on 12 May, and it marks the clearest signal yet that the UNIVISA concept — long discussed in regional tourism forums — now has active political backing at the highest level.

What it would mean in practice

Under the proposed framework, a single pre-approved authorisation would cover travel across multiple SADC members, potentially including South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, and Namibia. For travellers planning overland routes, multi-destination safaris, or road trips across the sub-region, this would reduce both the paperwork and the cost associated with individual country visas.

No launch date has been confirmed. Ramaphosa indicated that South Africa is “working with neighbouring countries to advance” the initiative, placing it in an active negotiation phase rather than an imminent rollout. We will track progress as talks develop.

Current visa position

The existing visa requirements for South Africa remain unchanged. Nationals of most Western countries continue to enter visa-free for stays of up to 90 days. Citizens of China, India, Indonesia, and Mexico are now eligible to apply for South Africa’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) online — and Ramaphosa confirmed at the Indaba that the ETA system will expand to cover all international airports and the country’s busiest land border crossings later in 2026, including Beitbridge, Lebombo, and Maseru Bridge.

Tourism context

The announcements come against a backdrop of record arrivals: 10.5 million international visitors reached South Africa in 2025. This week’s Travel Indaba in Durban brought together over 700 international buyers and 600 exhibitors, with regional connectivity and easier entry procedures a dominant theme across sessions.

For now, travellers planning a multi-country southern Africa itinerary should proceed under current visa rules — but the UNIVISA remains one of the most consequential policy developments to watch for 2027 and beyond.