Question NW673 to the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation

Reply:

1.1 Progress is being made within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to facilitate free movement of people and goods in the region. The SADC Protocol on Facilitation of Movement of Persons, which was signed on 18 August 2005 by nine Member States, has only been ratified and domesticated by seven countries, including South Africa. This means that it is not yet in force. In the meantime, SADC Member States grant visa exemptions to each other’s citizens on a bilateral basis. In the spirit and letter of this Protocol, South Africa has already exempted 13 SADC Member States ordinary citizens entry and residence for a period of 90 days per annum without visas.

1.2 Regarding the movement of goods, it should be noted that SADC has developed the SADC Protocol on Trade which was signed in 1996 and entered into force in 2008. So far, it has been ratified by 13 out of 16 Member States, including South Africa. The Protocol serves as a framework for the establishment of the SADC Free Trade Area (FTA). Since the establishment of the FTA, intra-regional trade has increased 20% among participating Member States.