young saffas and the future of travelling to the uk
04 July 2008

Cape Town is looking a little like London today; grey skies, chilly weather and lots of rain. And that may be the closest young South Africans get to experiencing the famously drizzly British capital.

The UK High Commission looks almost certain to scrap the popular 'Working holidaymaker' visa, which has seen thousands of young Saffas flood the flats of Wimbledon and Putney each year in a bid to earn some pounds and see the world.

The scrapping is part of an overhaul of UK immigration, a process which could also see South Africans requiring a visa (which will set you back R1000) to visit the UK on holiday. And we have Home Affairs to thank for all of this.

The UK is happy to allow working holidaymakers from South Africa to continue coming on the new 'Youth Mobility Scheme', but only if there is a reciprocal program from the South African government. And that's a long way from seeing the light of day. Meanwhile, South Africa is set to lose its visa-free status as a result of rampant fraud and corruption in Home Affairs.

All in all it's a bleak picture (not unlike the weather) for South Africans wanting to visit the UK, so if you're planning a visit to Blighty best you get booking before the paper trail makes it even more pricey.

iafrica travel newsletter July 2008

Richard Holmes, Travel Editor, travel@metropolis.co.za