The online platform will allow travellers to apply for visas, submit biometrics and receive approvals in real time, replacing lengthy manual processes.
The ETA will be tied to a new Electronic Movement Control System EMCS 2.0, which will use facial recognition at ports of entry. OR Tambo and Cape Town International airports will be the first sites to implement the upgrade.
Testing begins at the end of September, with the first phase in October targeting G20 delegates from China, India, Indonesia and Mexico. Tourists from those countries will be added in the second phase after November's G20 leaders' summit. The system will later expand to all visa-requiring countries and eventually other visa categories.