Aust. Govt orders S. Africans out

Press, 11 September 1986, Page 1

Aust. Govt orders S. Africans out

By

LEX BLOXHAM,

travel editor

The Australian Government has ordered that the South African tourist office in Sydney must close. The order will not be challenged by the South African Government and SATOUR’s Pitt Street doors will be bolted for the last time on September 22. The closing will end 25

years of SATOUR representation in Sydney. Mr Robert Grant, manager for Australia and New Zealand, told “The Press” from Sydney last evening that he had resigned along with four other members of the staff. “We are all very upset, unhappy, and annoyed,” he said.

Mr Grant, who was born in South Africa, has been with SATOUR for nine years. He worked in London and Amsterdam before being transferred to the Sydney office about four years ago. The Canberra Government threatened last week to revoke Mr Grant’s visa. He qualifies, however, for Australian citizenship because he is married to an Australian. The Grants have a baby son who was born in Sydney 11 months ago. Mr Grant said the visa problem had since been resolved. “I am not sure what I’m going to do at this stage, but I have several irons in the fire,” he said. So far the Australian Government has not carried out its threats to withdraw landing rights for South African Airways. The airline flies a weekly service between Sydney and Johannesburg via Perth and Mauritius. “This will be a tougher nut for the Government to crack,” said Mr Grant, adding that an existing agreement still had a year to run. “S.A.A. has not yet received any orders to withdraw, which is a good thing because about 30,000 people are holding pre-paid tickets for flights over the months ahead. “There would be quite a stink if the flights were cancelled now,” he said. Last week the New Zealand Government ordered Air New Zealand to stop acting as S.A.A.’s general sales agents. Travel agents officially accredited by the International Air Transport .Association are obliged to process or issue tickets rtfor S.A.A. passengers if ■iTequested. >7