Plans underway to repatriate tourists in South Africa
There is some good news for international tourists desperate to get home.
According to Tourism Update, SAA Spokesperson, Louise Brugman, announced they were engaging with countries to repatriate stranded tourists.
Thousands of foreigners, many tourists among them, found themselves stranded in the country after the announcement by the President, Cyril Ramaphosa that South Africa would enter a 21-day lockdown commencing on Friday, 27 March to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Regulations prohibiting international passenger flights (published in terms of Section 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act) will, however, need to be amended to allow for the repatriation to commence.
The South African Tourism Association (SATSA) has shared messages from the British Consul General and the German Embassy who are reaching out to German and British nationals stranded in South Africa.
The British High Commissioner to South Africa, Nigel Casey, issued a statement at the start of the lockdown which read: “We’re talking urgently to the South African authorities and airlines about what this [prohibition of international flights] means for you. If you are one of those affected, we would like to know who you are and where you are, so we can help you in whatever way we can.”
On Sunday, German Ambassador, Martin Schäfer, issued a statement announcing that headway is being made. The statement reads: “We have managed to find a solution with the South African authorities and South African Airways to start return flights for German travellers and vacationers. We’re really glad! Hopefully towards the end of the week we can start our first flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg to Germany.”
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