So much for the Rainbow Nation’s grand stage. South Africa’s bungled World Cup visa system has been branded a ‘fools’ game by trade unions and tourism chiefs, while the UK’s streamlined process draws quiet applause. It is not just about football. It is about whose economy works for working people.
Thousands of fans heading to the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France have been left stranded as South African authorities failed to process visas in time. The South African Rugby Union said it was ‘deeply disappointed’ with the delays. The country’s tourism board called it a ‘national embarrassment’. But the real anger is reserved for a system that leaves ordinary workers out of pocket.
‘My boss gave me the week off,’ says Themba Nkosi, a welder from Soweto who saved for two years to buy match tickets. ‘Now I cannot get a visa. I have lost my flights and my savings. This is not a first world problem. It is a laughing stock.’
Meanwhile, the UK visa system has been quietly praised for its efficiency. The Home Office processed 99.8% of applications within target times last year. British fans heading to the World Cup reported no such delays. ‘I applied online, paid the fee, and had my visa in three days,’ said London nurse Sarah Thompson. ‘It is simple and fair.’
But the contrast exposes a deeper inequality. South Africa’s labour market is already fractured by high unemployment and low wages. The visa fiasco is another blow to a country where state capacity is crumbling. ‘This is not about incompetence. It is about political choices to underfund public services,’ said Lindiwe Mazibuko, a union organiser with COSATU.
British unions have long warned that privatisation of visa services could lead to similar chaos here. The UK’s outsourcing of visa processing to commercial firms has been criticised for raising fees for low-paid workers. ‘A visa should be a basic function of the state, not a profit centre,’ said a Unite spokesperson.
But for now, the UK’s system works for most. It is a reminder that efficient bureaucracy is not a luxury. It is a necessity for workers who need to travel for work or family. South Africa’s failure is a warning of what happens when the state abandons its duties.
‘We are not fools,’ said Nkosi. ‘We just want a system that treats us with respect.’
