S.A. plans changed

Press, 13 July 1985, Page 80

S.A. plans changed

PA Wellington New Zealand journalists accompanying the All Blacks to South Africa have been forced to substantially alter their travel plans. The South African Government has refused to issue visas coinciding with their intended departure date. Newspaper reporters and photographers from Auckland and Wellington were due to fly to South Africa on July 13, four days before the expected arrival of the All Blacks, but visas issued by the South African Consulate in Sydney apply from July 16.

Inquiries with the Consulate have shown that the date of issue of the visas

was dictated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Pretoria, in an apparent move to deny journalists access to the country before the team arrives. Attempts to have the visas extended by three days, to allow the journalists to travel as planned were unsuccessful. The South African Government expected the New Zealand news media to stick to their visa conditions, said a spokesman for the Internal Affairs Department in Pretoria yesterday. Asked what would happen to journalists if they did arrive in the country early, the spokesman said that would also be a “Ministerial affair.”

Earlier this week, several members of an Irish antiapartheid group had their entry permits cancelled at Johannesburg airport on their arrival. Visas for three Radio New Zealand journalists had been issued, said the direc-tor-general, Miss Beverley Wakem. She said the visas mean that Radio New Zealand would be able to provide general news and current affairs coverage of developments in South Africa as well as sports commentaries. Journalists will now leave Auckland on July 19, arriving in South Africa the next day, three days after the arrival of the All Blacks.