South Africans voiced mixed reactions on Sunday after the Department of Home Affairs revoked a 90-day visa exemption for Palestinian passport holders.
The department said it withdrew the exemption after investigations found that Israeli-linked groups were abusing the policy to facilitate “voluntary emigration” from Gaza.
Officials said recent chartered flights from Israel had brought hundreds of Palestinians into South Africa through stopovers in regional countries.
They noted that two flights in the past month transported 153 and 176 Palestinians respectively, raising concerns about a broader relocation effort.
Home Affairs said cancelling the exemption was the most effective way to prevent further unregulated arrivals while still protecting genuine travellers.
The department stressed that South Africa would not be complicit in any attempt to exploit or displace Palestinians during the Gaza conflict.
It added that asylum claims from those arriving on the charter flights would be processed under existing protocols, while other visitors would still be evaluated individually.
Civil society groups criticised the decision, arguing that it punishes ordinary Palestinians rather than those responsible for organising the flights.
Roshan Dadoo of the South African BDS Coalition said the move amounted to collective punishment that undermined years of campaigning for easier entry.
She argued that authorities should target charter companies suspected of facilitating the flights rather than impose blanket restrictions on all Palestinian visitors.
Dadoo warned that the sudden change would disrupt travel plans for Palestinians attending conferences and family visits in the coming days.
She also noted that Palestinians in Gaza cannot apply for visas because South Africa’s nearest mission is in Ramallah, far beyond their reach.
Political analyst Ahmed Jhazbhay said the government’s decision feeds xenophobic narratives and abandons South Africa’s historical commitment to oppressed communities.
