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The government has brought home more than 600 South Africans stranded abroad, while 3,639 citizens from around the world have indicated they would like to return, says Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor.
Those who returned were quarantined in accordance with regulations, Pandor said in an update Thursday.
He added that the government had signed an agreement with South African Airways (SAA) to use the return legs to bring SA citizens from around the world to their countries.
SAA has so far repatriated South Africans from Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Nepal, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Ghana and the United Kingdom.
Private flights rented by individual companies have brought South Africans from Afghanistan, Namibia and the Maldives.
Some still waiting
Many more are still stranded abroad, as the government tries to find solutions to get them back home.
“We are aware of the 34 South Africans stranded in Lima. Through our ambassador to Peru, we are in regular contact with the group and every effort is being made to try to bring them back home,” said Pandor.
She said 307 more citizens were stranded in Thailand and 140 in Bali, Indonesia.
In Pakistan, plans to repatriate citizens were also in process, with the Pakistani government still to grant approval for a flight to land and passengers on board.
In Zimbabwe and Namibia, South Africa carried out emergency medical evacuations and helped a family with the repatriation of the remains of their loved one in Turkey, Pandor said.
“Two hundred South Africans have crossed our borders by land and have been quarantined, while 400 citizens are yet to enter the country in the coming days when their citizenship is verified and other processes are followed,” Pandor said.
Repatriations only for people in distress
“I wish, once again, to assure all South Africans that every effort is being made to repatriate as many South Africans using flights that repatriate foreign nationals, and other means that might be available while discussing with other nations.”
He appealed to all South Africans who were not necessarily distressed but wanted to return to stay where they are.
“These blockades are intended to minimize the movement of people, to slow the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Pandor said the government had not budgeted for these missions, and that repatriation efforts focused mainly on those who had bought a ticket back to South Africa, students who had asked to leave their residences, the elderly and the sick.
Help overseas
Speaking on Talk Radio 702, Pandor said they had also assisted a group of 139 elderly South Africans, who were part of a cruise in Italy, on chronic medications.
However, it was not immediately clear if the Italian government had given the go-ahead for the group to return early next week, he said.
Pandor said some countries were unable to repatriate citizens and that South Africa would need to analyze how they could receive assistance.
“We are fortunate to have been able to use SAA, that foreign countries have hired SAA and allowed us, without much cost, to bring our citizens back on return flights.”
Pandor said the South African ambassadors, as well as his team, were working 24 hours to ensure that those in need were repatriated.
“We are dealing with a situation that none of us expected to face. In that context, we must strive to do the best we can.”
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