The South African Department of Home Affairs has recently issued new rules for South African nationals travelling internationally with their children View PDF. Home Affairs Minister, Malusi Gigaba, announced on 17 September 2014 that this requirement will be postponed until 1 June 2015.

He explained that the postponement was in light of the upcoming peak travel periods for families in December and January for the festive season and April for Easter. “A postponement would greatly assist travellers and the sectors as a whole.” Minister Gigaba said that during the postponement, the Deputy Director General for Immigration Services, Jackie McKay, will work intensively with industry stakeholders to ensure accurate information is available to all prospective travellers accompanying children all around the world, and allow those travellers time to gather the necessary documents.

He said that the department will also heighten vigilance at all the country’s ports of entry during the postponement. “To ensure that the security of children is not undermined during this period, our officials will be on heightened alert, and will use other means, including additional screening, vetting and interviews as necessary, to ensure all travelling children are authorized to do so,” the minister said.