Delays at passport control at OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, have frustrated travellers visiting the city and transiting to further destinations.
Over the past few months, travellers have reported delays resulting from unmanned cubicles and poor shift management.
In December, a traveller who was transiting through OR Tambo, complained that, on arrival, there were only three staff members manning the passport control cubicles. Shortly after she started queuing, the staff left. According to her, this was before the next shift came on duty and an official announced that the next shift was delayed because of transport problems.
When additional staff were sent to process the passengers, they were rude, according to the complaint received by Tourism Update.
A similar incident took place in November, when one traveller reported arriving at OR Tambo to find no staff manning the cubicles. This incident was reported to Immigration, according to a notice on the airport’s Facebook page.
While OR Tambo International Airport expressed disappointment following the incident, Unathi Batyashe-Fillis, Airports Company South Africa Manager: Communications and Brand Management, said the Department of Home Affairs was the custodian of immigration at the airport, and passport control did not fall within Acsa’s jurisdiction.
The Department of Home Affairs had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publishing.
