The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) would engage with Home Affairs director-general Mkuseli Apleni “as a matter of urgency to apprise him of the unintended consequences” of South Africa’s new immigration regulations, CEO Neren Rau said on Thursday.

The chamber noted that it was concerned about the “potential deleterious impact” of the regulations on local business.

While Sacci members believed that some of the changes to the regulations were well intentioned, they expressed concern that businesses, ranging from small and medium-sized enterprises to multinational corporations, as well as residents, would incur large administrative costs and lose valuable business opportunities as a result of the regulations.

“The regulations place significant pressure on business in an already sensitive economic environment,” stated Rau.

The organisation also planned to raise the issue as part of its broader policy discussion in a forthcoming bilateral engagement with the African National Congress leadership.