The South African Consul-General to Nigeria, Bobby Moroe, has clarified that Nigerian singer, Ayra Starr, was initially denied a visa due to the submission of an inappropriate yellow fever certificate.
CityNews reports that Moroe, in an interview with Punch, said the visa rejection was not a recent development as portrayed online, but occurred in February 2024.
Moroe said the rejection was based on failure to meet visa requirements and was not related to the singer’s personality or status as a Nigerian seeking entry into the country.
According to him, the controversy resurfaced after reports alleged that Starr and her team were denied entry visas to South Africa, prompting the South African mission to meet with her team and clarify the requirements that needed to be fulfilled.
He said, “I do not see the relevance of that rejection to the development of today, except for using that rejection to sow division.
“One of the challenges was that they did not submit an appropriate yellow fever certificate. They submitted the yellow fever certificate of another country when they were supposed to submit the yellow fever certificate of their home country.
“Subsequently, the matter was resolved amicably and they were granted a one-year visa to go and perform in South Africa in 2024, and I think that was what they forgot to mention.”
Moroe maintained that applicants were assessed based on immigration requirements regardless of their status.
He explained that travellers applying for visas are required to submit relevant documents, including a yellow fever certificate from their home country, as proof of vaccination before travelling to South Africa.
He stated, “If you meet the requirement for a visa, whether you are a star or not, tall, short, black or white, if you qualify, you will get it. But if you don’t, regardless of who you are, the immigration section will uphold the immigration law of the country.
“Whether you are Ayra Starr or anyone, if you qualify, you will get it. The narrative that we have stopped issuing visas to Nigerians is false. We are not politicians; we don’t get into politics. Whether there are unrest or not, if you qualify for the visa, you will be given.”
Moroe also disclosed that visa applications from Nigerians had increased to between 60 and 80 monthly compared with previous years.
He added, “The visa applications have increased compared to the past. Before now, it used to be between 40 and 60 applications monthly, but now it has increased to between 60 and 80 applications monthly.”
