International travel: Everything you can – and cannot – do during Level 1

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and her fellow NCCC members have addressed the media on Friday, outlining the finer details of Level 1 restrictions in South Africa. The minister confirmed a whole host of rule changes, which will facilitate the return of international travel some six months after it was shut down completely.

In October, South Africa will officially open its borders to overseas visitors. This will be an enormous shot in the arm for our tourism industry, and other local businesses are likely to benefit from an influx of foreign guests. However, there are still some strict requirements in place for those hoping to visit Mzansi from a different country.

International travel at Level 1 – what you can do:

Visitors will have to prove they are COVID-negative on arrival, and only three airports in the country will allow for international travel. Dlamini-Zuma went on to explain what other permissions are in place during Level 1:

• International travel is allowed ‘within all countries inside and outside of Africa which have a low rate of infection’. A proper schedule of countries is yet to be published.
• Visa applications within South African embassies are allowed – this includes long-term applications, too.
• You can travel abroad from these three airports: OR Tambo, King Shaka, and Cape Town International
• A total of 18 land borders are now open for the movement of ALL PEOPLE. But 35 still remain closed.
• These changes will come into effect from 1 October 2020.
• All domestic travel laws remain the same.

“This means all travellers from the African Continent and from countries outside the African Continent with low rates of infections and transmission, will resume subject to them having a health clearance certificate and the directions by the relevant ministers”

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

Travel into and out of South Africa for business, leisure and other travel with effect from 1 October 2020.

Travel may be restricted to and from certain countries that have high infection rates.#Level1 #COVID19 @DlaminiZuma pic.twitter.com/yE74OKxKFB

— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) September 18, 2020

International travel at Level 1 – what you cannot do:

However, it’s also worth noting that there are a number of exceptions to these rules. International travel will not be a free-for-all, and the government is planning to restrict a number of facets associated with the reopening of the borders, including the following:

• All commercial sea points will not be open for tourists or international visitors.
• You cannot fly abroad from an airport that isn’t OR Tambo, King Shaka, or Cape Town International.
• No-one can travel anywhere between the hours of 00:00 – 4:00.
• There are some (as-yet-unnamed) countries where travel isn’t allowed – in locations with high infection rates. These will not be in place permanently.
• All commercial sea points will not be open for tourists or international visitors.

#Covid19inSA Dlamini-Zuma says international travel is allowed from 01 October 2020, however there will be temporary restrictions to visiting countries with high infection rates.

— #StandWithYolanda (@Gao_Phala) September 18, 2020

Tourism industry welcomes the new rules

With the tourism season set to get underway in October and peak during the new year, these interventions are incredibly timely for an industry that has been battered by the implementation of lockdown. The market slowly began to open up in August, but the horizons have somewhat broadened for Level 1.

The Western Cape, in particular, has been pushing for an easing of restrictions on international travel for months. Their wish has finally been granted, and venues once crippled by this virus can – hopefully – look forward to a bumper summer.