CHARLES MOLELE
FOR the first time since midnight March 26, South Africa is allowing scheduled international flights into the country on Thursday with radical new COVID-19 guidelines.
South Africa shut down all its domestic and international flights in March to control the spread of the coronavirus.
During a press conference of the National Coronavirus Command Council on Wednesday, International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor confirmed the easing of travel restrictions of Thursday October 1 and the re-opening of the borders for international travellers.
Pandor indicated that government has adopted a risk-based system for different international travellers.
She said this model classified international travellers according to a scale of high, medium and low risk.
“As a country we have adopted a gradual reopening of borders and ports of entry for international travel for business, leisure and other travel guided by the communique published by the Word Health Organisation (WHO) on Public Health on considerations for international travel on 30 July 2020,” said Pandor.
“The gradual reopening of borders and ports of entry informed by a cautious approach means that a limited number of ports of entry and borders will be opened from 1 October 2020. In reopening these selected ports of entry and borders we will be guided by epidemiological and transmission rates both in South Africa and the traveller’s countries of origin.”
The minister said high risk travellers are those who come from countries with higher numbers of COVID-19 infections and reported deaths compared to South Africa.
“Medium risk travellers are from countries with relatively equal number of infections and death toll to South Africa and low risk travellers obviously originate from countries with lesser number of infections of COVID-19 and death toll than South Africa,” she said.
“Leisure Travellers from high risk countries will not be permitted.”
Pandor added that three airports will be opened and operational for international air travel.
These airports include OR Tambo International in Johannesburg, Gauteng, Cape Town International in Cape Town, Western Cape and King Shaka International in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
All travellers landing at these airports must present a PCR test which is not older than 72 hours from the time of departure from the country of origin to South Africa, she said.
According to the new risk-based system, international travellers should also possess a mandatory travel insurance which is supposed to cover the COVID-19 test and quarantine costs.
All these travellers will be subjected to COVID-19 screening on arrival.
Those who present COVID-19 symptoms which include elevated body temperatures and flu-like symptoms, will be required to take a COVID-19 test which should be covered by the travel insurance.
“Should the test results come back positive, the traveller will be subjected to mandatory quarantine, which will also be paid for by the traveller or the travel insurance,” Pandor said.
Pandor added that travellers from all African countries are allowed and must possess relevant travel documents, and will also be screened for COVID-19 symptoms.
To allow ease of travel from the African countries, 18 borders will be opened while 35 border posts will continue to offer restricted services due to insufficient capacity for screening, testing and quarantine.
Travellers who present themselves at borders which are unable to accommodate them will be directed to the currently operational border posts for process.
HIGH RISK travellers are those who come from countries with higher numbers of Covid-19 infections and reported deaths compared to South Africa.
MEDIUM RISK travellers are from countries with relatively equal number of infections and death toll to SA.
LOW RISK travellers obviously originate from countries with lesser number of infections of Covid-19 and death toll than SA.
The health ministry reported on Wednesday that the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is 674 339 while the total number of deaths is 16 734 and the total number of recoveries is 608 112.
Here is a full list of countries flagged as high-risk as SA reopens its borders:
- Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Falun Islands, France, French Polynesia, Georgia, Gibraltar, Crete, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Nepal, North Macedonia, Palestine, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Saint Martin, Slovakia, Slovenia, Suriname, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Ukraine, United Kingdom, US, United States Virgin Islands, and Venezuela.
(COMPILED BY INSIDE POLITICS STAFF)
