British airline Virgin Atlantic has resumed its seasonal service between Heathrow Airport (LHR) in London and Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town on 28 October 2023. The daily service will run until end of March 2024. The seasonal flights will add over 80,000 seats between London and Cape Town and complement Virgin Atlantic's existing service between London and OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg. The Cape Town flights are operated on Virgin Atlantic's Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
06 November 2023
03 November 2023
Mozambique: LAM - Mozambique Airlines to resume flights between Maputo <> Lisbon!
The flag carrier of Mozambique, LAM - Mozambique Airlines, has announced the resumption of direct non-stop flights to Portugal. Effective 12 December 2023, the airline wil operate three weekly flights between Maputo International Airport (MPM) in Maputo and Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) in Lisbon. The capital of Portugal will become the LAM's fifth international destination.
According to news reports, the flight between Maputo and Lisbon will be carried out by Fly Modern Ark, the company hired by the government of Mozambique to recover LAM - Mozambique Airlines. The new service will be the airline's first intercontinental flight since it last served Lisbon in 2021 as well as the LAM's longest non-stop flight.
Augrabies National Park: Unleaded fuel (ULP 95) & Diesel 50ppm unavalaible until further notice!
According to a posting by Regional Communications Manager: Arid Parks at South African National Parks (SANParks), Genevieve Maasdorp, in the SANParks - Augrabies Falls Park facebook group, unleaded fuel (ULP 95) as well as the Diesel 50ppm is currently unavalaible in Augrabies Falls National Park until further notice. The next fuel station outside the National Park is in the town of Kakamas, located about 40km from Augrabies Falls National Park entrance/exit gate.
Augrabies Falls National Park is located around the Augrabies Falls, about 120 km west of Upington in South Africa's Northern Cape. The National Park stretches along the Orange River and covers an area of 820km². Travelling from Upington on the N14 (that runs between Upington and Springbok) turn right just after Kakamas. From here it’s 28km further to Augrabies Falls National Park entrance/exit gate and another 3km to Reception and the Augrabies Falls Rest Camp.
South Africa: Number of malaria cases on the rise!
The South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has announced that the malaria-endemic regions in South Africa are beginning to see increases in the number of malaria cases. The start of summer generally marks the start of the malaria season, due to higher temperatures and increased rainfall in the malaria transmission areas.
Malaria transmission occurs in the north-eastern part of South Africa,
mainly in the low altitude (below 1 000m above sea-level) areas of Limpopo, Mpumalanga and northern part of KwaZulu-Natal. Limited local transmission may occasionally occur in the North West Province and in the Northern Cape along the Molopo and Orange rivers. Kruger National Park and Mapungubwe National Park are the only two National Parks in South Africa
that are situated in malaria risk areas. The risk of malaria in both of
these parks is usually low, even in the summer months.
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| Source: NICD; click on map to enlarge |
The NICD is urging individuals travelling to malaria-endemic areas in South Africa
to take the appropriate precautions. Travellers should consider taking
antimalarial prophylaxis, particularly if travelling to high-risk areas.
Both doxycycline and atovaquone-proguanil can be procured without a
prescription from pharmacies and public sector travel clinics in South Africa. The following precautions will substantially reduce the chance of acquiring malaria but the risk is never completely removed:
- reduce contact with mosquitoes by limiting outdoor activity after dark
- cover up bare skin (including feet and ankles)
- use mosquito repellents containing at least 10% DEET
- ensure mosquito screens on windows are closed
- use bed nets, fans or air-conditioning, if available
All travellers returning from malaria transmission areas, including very low-risk ones, should immediately report “flu-like illness” (headache, fever, chills, fatigue, muscle and joint pain) that occurs up to three weeks after first potential exposure, to the nearest healthcare facility for a malaria test. Particular care should be taken with children, as symptoms are very nonspecific (fever, loss of appetite and vomiting). Malaria can rapidly progresses to severe illness, often with severe consequences, early diagnosis and treatment are strongly recommended.
02 November 2023
KwaZulu-Natal: All Durban beaches have been reopened – except one!
The eThekwini Municipality, the local government body responsible for governing and managing Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, has announced on 30 October 2023, that 22 of Durban's 23 beaches have been reopened and are safe for swimming. Only Warner beach, south of Durban, remains closed. The beaches were closed after the recent heavy rains in KwaZulu-Natal two weeks ago, which resulted in murky ocean waters filled with logs and debris. This caused most of the shark nets in the water to be damaged, so that the Natal Sharks Board advised the eThekwini Municipality to close the beaches by declaring them unsafe for the public to use.
South Africa: Airlink expands its Malawi operations!
South African regional and domestic airline Airlink has announced that it is going to increase the number of its services between South Africa and Malawi. Due to popular demand, the airline will introduce a fourth weekly service on Saturdays between OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg and Kamuzu International Airport (LLW) in Lilongwe. The additional service will commence on 16 December 2023. Airlink operates a 37-seat Embraer Regional Jets on its Malawi routes.
Under the increased schedule, flights on the Lilongwe and Blantyre routes will operate at these times and days of the week, respectively:
- Johannesburg 11:00 > 13:20 Lilongwe on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and, from 16 December 2023, also on Saturdays
- Lilongwe 14:10 > 16:35 Johannesburg on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and, from 16 December 2023, also on Saturdays
- Johannesburg 11:00 > 13:05 Blantyre on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays
- Blantyre 14:15 > 16:35 Johannesburg on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays
Airlink launched its service between South Africa and Malawi in September 2023, which then became the fifteenth country in the carrier’s regional network. The airline operates services from Johannesburg to both Lilongwe and Blantyre.
01 November 2023
South African National Parks: Annual conservation tariff increase for National Parks in South Africa's Cape Region!
South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced the annual conservation tariff increase for National Parks in South Africa's Cape Region. The annual conservation tariffs for Agulhas National Park, Bontebok National Park, Table Mountain National Park, Tankwa Karoo National Park, and West Coast National Park increased as of 01 November 2023 and will be applicable until 31 October 2024. All funds generated from conservation fees are used with the primary mandate of South African National Parks (SANParks) which is to oversee the conservation of South Africa's biodiversity, landscapes, seascapes and associated heritage assets through a system of National Parks.
Agulhas National Park
The daily conservation fees for South African citizens is set to increase from R52 to R55. Rates for South African children under 12 years old are 50% of the adult price at R27 per child. Children under two enter for free.
Visitors from Southern African Developement Community (SADC) countries will pay R110 from 01 November 2023 whilst those from all other foreign countries may expect to pay R220. The rate for children is always half the price of the adults – at R55 and R110 respectively.
Bontebok National Park
The daily conservation fees for South African citizens is set to increase from R52 to R55. Rates for South African children under 12 years old are 50% of the adult price at R27 per child. Children under two enter for free.
Visitors from SADC countries will pay R85 from 01 November 2023 whilst those from all other foreign countries may expect to pay R169. The rate for children is always half the price of the adults – at R42 and R85 respectively.
Table Mountain National Park
Please see below table of the rate increase for Table Mountain National Park sections consisting of Boulders Penguin Colony, Cape of Good Hope, Newlands, Oudekraal, Silvermine and the Tokai Picnic and Braai Area, effective 01 November 2023:
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| click to enlarge |
Tankwa Karoo National Park
The daily conservation fees for South African citizens is set to increase from R52 to R55. Rates for South African children under 12 years old are 50% of the adult price at R27 per child. Children under two enter for free.
Visitors from SADC countries will pay R110 from 01 November 2023 whilst those from all other foreign countries may expect to pay R220. The rate for children is always half the price of the adults – at R55 and R110, respectively.
West Coast National Park
The daily conservation fees for South African citizens will increase from R70 to R74. Rates for South African children under 12 years old are 50% of the adult price at R37 per child. Children under two enter for free.
Visitors from SADC countries will pay R116 from 01 November 2023 whilst those from all other foreign countries may also expect to pay R116. The rate for children is always half the price of the adults – at R58 respectively.
Please note that during flower season the entry fees are as follows: The daily conservation fees for South African citizens is set to increase from R104 to R110. Rates for South African children under 12 years old are 50% of the adult price at R55 per child. Children under two enter for free.
Visitors from SADC countries will pay R169 from 01 November 2023 whilst those from all other foreign countries may expect to pay R247. The rate for children is always half the price of the adults – at R85 and R124, respectively.
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