Boris’ hollow promise as travel restrictions between UK and SA continue

In the world of diplomacy, leaders can sometimes make undertakings which won’t be carried out – all out of convenience.

One such leader is UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Amid much fanfare at the June G7 summit in Cornwall, Johnson had a one-on-one dialogue with President Cyril Ramaphosa – a meeting seen as strategic and important.

A statement issued by 10 Downing Street after the Johnson-Ramaphosa meeting went like this: “The Prime Minister outlined the importance of the UK’s relationship with South Africa and the leaders agreed to work together to strengthen that relationship, including through enhancing our trade partnership and investment links.

“He explained the work the UK is doing to increase access to vaccines worldwide, which includes our financial contribution to Covax and our announcement that the UK will donate 100 million surplus vaccines in the next year.

“The leaders agreed there is an urgent need to expand vaccine manufacturing capacity around the world and increase access.

“The Prime Minister and President Ramaphosa discussed the need for the G7, and other large economies, to support clean and sustainable growth in the developing world.”

That “support for sustainable growth in the developing world” seems to have been an empty promise made by Johnson, if the continued travel restrictions between the UK and South Africa are anything to go by.

The placing of South Africa on the UK “red list” – leading to billions in income being lost by the local tourism industry – is a matter of great concern to government and business.

Coming up with a flimsy excuse – the presence of the Covid-related beta variant in SA – has proven to be unscientific and senseless. The motive for the UK government’s clinging to a theory proven wrong by local experts like Professor Tulio de Oliveira from the Centre for Epidemic Research boggles the mind.

Johnson has refused to understand that it is actually the delta variant which currently has a 99% hold in South Africa – not the beta one.

Due to what economists have explained as a consideration for huge trade volumes between the UK and South Africa, Johnson has opened the borders for Indian travellers, although India presents much higher Covid numbers than SA.

People travelling from South Africa have been subjected to the most inhumane experience upon arrival at Heathrow Airport, having to be quarantined for 10 days and paying huge amounts of money in hotels.

Proof of being doubly vaccinated does not go far enough to convince UK authorities.

Relating her daughter’s recent harrowing experience after returning to the UK from attending a family burial in South Africa, Pat Pretorius told The Citizen how she was treated like a leper upon landing at Heathrow Airport.

She was “placed in a UK prison-like type of quarantine reserved for those returning from South Africa”.

Serving a 10-day mandatory quarantine at the Ramada in Hounslow, Pretorius’ daughter – in a telephone call to her mother – described a harsh treatment by British authorities and being placed “in a prison-like type quarantine”.

Said Pretorius: “Her room is adequate but she is treated like a prisoner. Her meals are delivered in a brown paper bag dropped outside her door.

“She can go out and walk around the small carpark with overflowing smelly dustbins.

“When she wants to exercise, she has to sign out with a guard and then is closely watched as she walks around the carpark.”

As International Relations and Cooperation Minister Dr Naledi Pandor has put it, South Africa is “puzzled” by the UK stance.