(TAN): South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that the country will officially reopen borders for tourism on October 1. The reopening will include both inbound and outbound tourism, media reports said.
In preparation for that, from September 20, overnight curfew will be reduced, gatherings will be allowed at 50% of a venue’s capacity, and alcohol will again be on sale.
South Africa had shut their borders on March 27, one of the earliest in the world and has been one of the hardest hit countries by Covid-19. However, according to reports, after strict country-wide lockdown the nation has recently flattened their curve and is now reporting their lowest new case numbers since May.
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“We have withstood the coronavirus storm,” President Ramaphosa said in a televised address to the nation. “Now is the time to return our country, its people and our economy to a situation that is more normal, that more resembles the lives that we were living six months ago.”
However, according to media reports, travel might be restricted from countries with high infection rates. Countries from which travellers can visit will be determined by the latest epidemiological data. A list in this regard will be released soon.
The airports which will be reopening on October 1 are Johannesburg’s OR Tambo, Cape Town International and Durban’s King Shaka. All the passengers will be required to present the negative result of a PCR test, taken no longer than 72 hours prior to departure. If the passenger fulfills the PCR testing requirement, there will be no mandatory quarantine. In case of non availability of a negative report, they will be required to quarantine for 14 days.
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Apart from that, all travellers will be asked to download the government’s contact tracing alert app for the duration of their stay in South Africa, Ramaphosa said. All passengers, regardless if they brought a negative test report, will have to undergo a health screening, which will include symptom checks and temperature screenings. Any symptomatic passenger will be subject to additional testing and/or quarantine. Face masks will be compulsory in all public spaces.
However, reports said many travellers from South Africa were expressing doubt over finding out countries that will allow them to visit. This is because South Africa has not been added to most ‘green lists’ around the world.
