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Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says South Africa will adopt a risk-based system to select which countries will be allowed to travel to South Africa and which countries South African citizens will be allowed to fly.
South Africa will open its international borders on October 1 subject to strict regulations. On this date, all travelers from the African continent and from countries outside the African continent with a low rate of infection and transmission of Covid-19 will resume.
Mbalula said Encan that government will largely adopt the same approach that was used before South Africa entered a level 5 lockdown, with the country classified as “high risk” or “low risk” for travel purposes.
“For example, if you take the entire United States, it will probably be high risk, and then we will treat it as such. Whereas the UAE will probably be seen as a low risk country, ”said Mbalula.
The transport minister indicated that the government will seek to place entire countries or regions on the high-risk list due to the possibility of connecting.
Using the example of the United States, he said that it was possible for passengers to board and fly anywhere from New York, Miami or Los Angeles. This means that the country as a whole is at risk.
However, he said the government will also take a ‘differentiated approach’ and formulate its list on a country-by-country basis, based on the current coronavirus situation.
This means that countries like Italy and Brazil could be added to the low-risk list despite having previously reported a high number of cases. This also means that all of Europe will not be seen as a single region.
Mbalula said the list will be published later this week and will be based on science and research.
“We are opening up because we want people to come slowly and start traveling for leisure and tourism. But what the president has indicated is that we must do so with caution.
“Eventually we will open up (fully) but we can’t do it all at once like ‘boom.’ This is especially the case with international travel where we can get people to move from one city and one country to another. “
Additional rules
In an analysis of the new level lockdown regulations, Ahlisha Yesmariam of the law firm Baker McKenzie outlined the following points:
- The 35 land borders that are currently closed will remain closed and the 18 land borders that were partially operating will be fully operational.
- International air travel will be restricted to the following airports:
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- OR Tambo International Airport
- King Shaka International Airport
- Cape Town International Airport
- Travel to the Republic of South Africa will continue to be prohibited for travelers from high-risk countries (countries with high rates of infection and transmission of Covid-19).
- International travel from high-risk countries will remain prohibited, except for business travel, which may be permitted with the approval of the Home Affairs Cabinet member.
- Travel to and from the Republic of South Africa will be permitted, subject to those travelers entering the Republic being only from low-risk countries and meeting the following requirements:
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- Traveler must provide negative COVID-19 test obtained no more than 72 hours prior to travel date.
- If the traveler is unable to produce a negative COVID-19 test, the traveler will be asked to self-quarantine at their own expense
- All commercial seaports will be opened.
- Subject to compliance protocols for entering and leaving the Republic of South Africa, commuters from neighboring countries who attend or teach at a school will be able to enter and leave the Republic.
- Some visa application services on offer will resume in Home Affairs starting this week. This list will be reviewed and modified as necessary.
Read: Concerns About South Africa’s New International Travel List
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