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South Africa is working with foreign governments to repatriate citizens who found themselves out of the country when lockdowns were implemented.

Repatriation, however, is very different from a visit, so keep the following in mind if you were planning on trying to use that system to plan a trip to see friends and family.

If you are repatriated, you are expected to submit to 14 days of quarantine after touching down in South Africa, following which it’s advised that you stay in the country.

It might be tempting to assume that once you’re back in the country, you can take advantage of the fact that you can go overseas if you need to return to a place of work or study, or a residence in another country.

There are a few reasons why that’s probably a bad idea.

Over to the official South African Government website:

1. You need permission from Home Affairs before you can return overseas

You’ll need to supply Home Affairs with an application and the following papers at least five working days ahead of your intended departure date.

• A copy of your valid South African passport.
• A letter of confirmation of admissibility or the validity of the visa or permit issued by the relevant diplomatic or consular mission authority of the country that you intend to travel to.
• If you are travelling through another country on the way to your destination you need to provide proof of permission to transit through it.
• Proof of the means of travel and the intended date of departure.

Home Affairs will review your paperwork and decide whether or not you are eligible to return. A positive outcome is not guaranteed.

2. Travel is subject to regulations in other countries

The pandemic, as we know, is unpredictable, and countries are adjusting their regulations according to whether or not they deem it safe for travellers to enter. If borders are closed and air travel suspended in your intended country, you won’t be able to return.

In the same vein, if it becomes necessary to close our borders and airports again, you won’t be able to leave South Africa.

As it stands, the government plans on opening airports for travel in three phases:

Phase 1

• OR Tambo International Airport
• Cape Town International Airport
• King Shaka International Airport, and
• Lanseria International Airport

Phase 2

• Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport
• Polokwane International Airport
• Bram Fischer Airport

Phase 3

• Kimberley Airport
• Upington Airport
• East London Airport
• Umtata Airport
• Port Elizabeth Airport

We have a few updates on how travel is working now that airports are open:

Only passengers will be allowed inside the terminal buildings.  Therefore, no accompanying members of the public will be allowed inside the terminal buildings.

Temperature screening will be conducted at the terminal building entrances, before any passenger is allowed entry.

No passengers will be allowed inside the terminal buildings without masks.

At boarding gates, boarding will be staggered and prioritized in terms of the number of passengers to board.  Sectional boarding will be implemented to avoid unnecessary contact inside the aircraft.

While it was widely assumed that airlines would be implementing physical distancing measures similar to those in other countries (empty seats or entire rows between passengers), full capacity is allowed in cabins.

All our commercial aircrafts are fitted with the High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters.  These are manufactured to the same standard as those used in hospital operating theatres and industrial clean rooms, with the same efficacy of 99.97% in removing viruses.

Additionally, no catering is allowed, no magazines are permitted on board, and the last row in the aircraft is reserved for the isolation of suspected COVID-19 cases.

There’s much to consider when navigating what is currently a complex situation.

When travelling between countries, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

[source:gov.za]