# South Africa Electronic Travel Authorisation rollout > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/south-africa-electronic-travel-authorisation-rollout > Updated: 2026-08-10T14:10:39.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2. South Africa has initiated the rollout of its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, a digital transformation project intended to streamline border processing through biometric verification and machine-learning checks. The system was officially unveiled by President Cyril Ramaphosa following a pilot period during the country’s G20 Presidency. Following the launch, the implementation has encountered technical and operational difficulties. Travelers, specifically from mainland China, have reported failures in receiving SMS verification codes required for account activation, leading to reports of intermediaries charging fees to provide verification via South African mobile numbers. Additionally, travel industry professionals have noted inconsistencies in processing times, with some applicants failing to receive approvals within the promised 24-48 hour window. Concerns have also been raised regarding a lack of customer support visibility once applications are submitted. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-10: South Africa ETA rollout faces technical and operational hurdles South Africa’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) rollout is experiencing technical glitches, including SMS verification failures for Chinese travelers and inconsistent processing times. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-africa-eta-rollout-faces-technical-and-operational-hurdles ### 2026-08-06: Ramaphosa Launches South Africa's Electronic Travel Authorisation President Cyril Ramaphosa will launch South Africa's Electronic Travel Authorisation on 12 Aug 2026 at OR Tambo Airport, a biometric‑enabled system aimed at faster, more secure border processing and boosting a‑ 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ramaphosa-launches-south-africas-electronic-travel-authorisation --- Cite as: South Africa Electronic Travel Authorisation rollout. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/south-africa-electronic-travel-authorisation-rollout