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The Deputy Commissioner of South Africa to Ghana, H.E T. Madumane has confirmed South Africa’s decision to grant Ghana and other countries a visa free status.

He says the intention or decision to settle on Ghana among some few countries to waive off visa is to promote intra-Africa Trade and Tourism in Africa and also help make Ghana entrepreneurs who want to do business in South Africa go there with ease.

Speaking in an interview with host of Okay FM's 'Ekwanso Dwoodwoo', Abeiku Aggrey Santana, he explained that there will be diplomatic negotiations between the two countries to stipulate all relevant issues regarding the agreement as to when it will manifest and who qualifies to benefit etc.

He added that, the decision by the department of Home Affairs of South Africa to make some countries visa free regime is to strengthen economic ties within the African Continent.

Though there are bigger countries who could have benefited from the free visa status to influence South Africa’s tourism industry, we settled on Ghana because of the already deepening bilateral relationship between the two countries and the invaluable contributions Ghana has made to the emancipation of the African Continent and beyond.

"The African Continent has a lot to offer so we are poised to rather visit countries within the African league and not beyond, so we would not mind coming to Ghana and vice versa," he said.

Ghana is the latest country to be granted a visa-free status by the South African government.

According to the Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, citizens of the seven countries are able to enter South Africa without a visa

South Africa announced in September 2018, that it was finalising a number of visa waiver agreements with other countries including Ghana to allow travellers to enter the country without a visa.

“Out of the 193 countries who are member states of the United Nations, the Department has granted visa-free status to 75 countries including São Tomé, Principe and Ghana. Of these 16 are in our continent and are SADC members and 59 are from all over the world,” he said.