Cape Town: International visitors to Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) will have a much smoother arrivals experience from now onwards. This has been decided by a near-doubling in the capacity of the Border Management Authority’s (BMA) immigration officials in partnership with the Western Cape Government (WCG) and City of Cape Town.
The initiative was officially launched on Monday, August 18, 2025 at CTIA with all three spheres of government present there. In total 48 assistant port control officers will be seconded by the City of Cape Town and WCG to nearly double the processing capacity at Cape Town International.
Home Affairs Minister – Leon Schreiber said that this visionary partnership is a vote of confidence in the BMA, which continues to make meaningful strides in improving border management despite severe resource constraints and a budget shortfall of R4.3 billion.
As per Schreiber, in the face of these constraints, the WCG and COCT have stepped up to boost immigration capacity at the airport to enhance national security. It will also drive tourism growth and job creation in the city and province. This is a great example of government leaders who are working together to resolve long-standing challenges for the benefit of all.
Premier Alan Winde acknowledged this and said that the Western Cape Government is proud to contribute 24 of the officials to boost operations at CTIA. This is in line with the regional economic strategy to grow tourist arrivals through various initiatives, including the Air Access programme, supporting small businesses and job creation, as well as increasing capacity at this key port of entry.
Winde mentioned that these young women and men will give operations a boost and they will serve as “ambassadors” for the province. They will also welcome visitors and will add this to their positive experience of Cape Town and the Western Cape.
Considering this, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said that it was a smoother and faster experience at the airport means, where tourists get to Table Mountain before sunset, and the tour guide in Langa does not lose business due to airport delays.
He added, when they all pull together, the whole tourism economy receives benefits. That’s why they are glad to support this initiative to improve visitor experience, which is a key part of boosting tourism and job creation over time.
Notably, the City of Cape Town and Western Cape Government will each contribute 24 personnel, taking total immigration processing capacity at CTIA from 66 to 114.
Assistant port control officers will perform various duties including customs processing. As City law enforcement officers are among the secondees, these trained personnel will also be able to offer various safety functions such as search, seizure, arrest, and detention where illegal activity is detected.