Covid-19: South Africa ends "National State of Disaster"!

The Cabinet of South Africa has decided to end the National State of Disaster with effect from midnight on 04 April 2022. Only a few transitional regulations remain in place. The end of the National State of Disaster comes 750 days since South Africa went into its initial lockdown on 15 March 2020 to curb the spread of Covid-19. The country's Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has gazetted new regulations terminating the National State of Disaster and introduced new transitional measures as the Government of South Africa prepares to begin managing the Covid-19 pandemic through the National Health Act. These provisions will remain in place for 30 days after the termination of the National State of Disaster. This is to ensure essential public health precautions and other necessary services are not interrupted while the new regulations in terms of the National Health Act come into effect.

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• Individuals are still required to wear a facemask in an indoor public space, however, a mask is not required when outdoors.
• Existing restrictions on gatherings continue as a transitional measure. This means that both indoor and outdoor venues can take up to 50% of their capacity without any maximum limit, provided that proof of vaccination or a Covid-19 test not older than 72 hours is required for entrance to the venue. Where there is no provision for proof of vaccination or a Covid-19 test, then the current upper limit of 1000 people indoors and 2000 people outdoors will remain.
• The existing provisions with respect to international travel remain in place. Travellers entering South Africa will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours. If a traveller does not submit a vaccine certificate or proof of a negative COVID-19 test, they are required to do an antigen test on arrival and if they test positive, they need to isolate for 10 days.
• Meanwhile, the directions that provide for the payment of the special R350 SRD grant remain in place. This  enables the Department of Social Development to finalise the regulations that allows the payment of the grant to continue.
• Directions that provide for the extension of the validity of a learner’s licence, driving licence card, licence disc, professional driving permit and registration of a motor vehicle remain in place.
• In addition to the Coronavirus Alert Levels no longer applicable as of midnight on 04 April 2022, the regulations on the isolation of persons, schools and access to old age homes, public transport, initiation practices, cargo transportation, and criminalisation of non-adherence to these rules falls away.

South Africa extends validity period for temporary visas!

South Africa's Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, has extended the validity period of legally issued visas which expired during the lockdown period to 30 September 2021 for short-term visas, issued for a period not longer than 90 days, such as a tourist visa. The validity period of longer-term temporary visas issued for three months to three years which expired during the lockdown has also been extended until 30 September 2021.
This means that visas or permits of holders who have not departed South Africa since the announcement of the National State of Disaster in March 2020, and arrived with a valid visitor’s visa between December 2019 and 14 March 2021, are deemed to be valid until the end of September 2021.
Holders of such visas are permitted to remain in South Africa under the conditions of their visas until the expiry of their applicable extension. Those wishing to be repatriated to their countries within this period can depart without being declared undesirable persons.
The extension does not apply to people who entered South Africa from 15 March 2021. The normal validity period of visas of people admitted into the country from 15 March 2021 applies.
Holders of longer-term temporary visas, issued for 90 days up to three years, such as study visa, treaty visa, business visa, medical treatment visa, relatives’ visas, general work visa, critical skills work visa, retired person’s visa and exchange visa, which expired during the State of National Disaster are invited to renew their visas at www.vfsglobal.com/dha/southafrica before 30 September 2021. Holders of a visa or permit must adhere to the terms and conditions of their visa and any activity not endorsed onto such visa or permits is prohibited.