The Government of Botswana has amended the Emergency Powers (COVID-19) regulations and has introduced the next step of interventions in the country's battle against the coronavirus pandemic. Effective today (08 May 2020) trades and businesses as well as schools in Botswana can operate subject to specified conditions. Places of religious worship are allowed to conduct services twice a week, with a maximum of 50 people allowed to attend each service. The Government has demarcated Botswana into nine (?) zones to contain the spread of the coronavirus. People are not allowed to undertake non-essential travel across these zones for the period of the State of Emergency in Botswana. A person attending the funeral of an immediate family member or a person leaving home to access their ploughing field, cattle post, ranch or farm is exempted from such travel prohibition, but travel permit has to be aquired.
The COVID zones include:
- Greater Gaborone zone - towns, villages and settlements from Dibete to Ramatlabama, including the city of Gaborone and its periphery, Lobatse as well as Kanye, Molepolole and surrounding areas.
- Greater Francistown zone - area from Ramokgwebana to Gojwane gate, stretching also to Dukwi and Mokubilo.
- Greater Palapye zone - area from Dibete to Martin's Drift and Sefhophe gate, including the major villages of Serowe, Mahalapye and Palapye.
- Boteti zone - from Makoba to Makalamabedi
- Greater Maun zone - the whole of Ngamiland
- Chobe zone - Chobe district up to Dukwi and Zoroga gate.
- Kgalagadi zone - area from Jwaneng to the Kgalagadi North and South constituencies
- Ghanzi zone
- Greater Phikwe zone
update (22 May 2020): The Heritage Sites in Namibia are still closed, but the National Heritage Council of Namibia (NHC) hopes that it will soon change. We'll keep you posted!
The National Heritage Council of Namibia (NHC), the national administrative body responsible for the protection of Namibia's natural and cultural heritage, has announced that all heritage sites in the country are still closed until further directives are given by Namibia's Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture. However, the Head Office and Technical Office of the NHC in Windhoek are operational. The closed heritage sites in Namibia are:
- Twyfelfontein World Heritage Site
- Petrified Forest National Heritage Site
- Hoba Meteorite National Heritage Site
- Heroes Acre National Heritage Site
- Burnt Mountain National Heritage Site
- Zieben Platten National Heritage Site
- Brandberg Mountain National Heritage Site
- Lake Otjikoto National Heritage Site
- Eenhana Shire National Heritage Site
- Ondeshifilwa National Heritage Site
- Organ Pipes National Heritage Site
- Omugulugwoombashe National Heritage Site
The Government of eSwatini has announced that it will gradually ease the partial lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which was intially introduced on 27 March 2020 and extended for another three weeks on 15 April 2020, from 08 May 2020. In line with similar measures recently taken by other countries in the region and the world, the country will allow the the gradual opening of selected businesses. Social, sports and entertainment activities and gatherings remain banned in eSwatini until further notice. Public transport will be allowed to operate at 70% capacity in a controlled manner and time. It will be mandatory for all passengers to wear a mask. Schools will remain closed.
Senior citizens and those that suffer from lingering chronicd iseases are advised to stay at home. Younger citizens are also urged to stay at home. Everyone else should also stay home except for workers in the permitted businesses and for citizens strictly looking for food or medical attention. Schools in eSwatini will remain closed.
The Government of eSwatini will also introduce measures to demarcate high risk areas, so that specific interventions to affected areas, such as testing, fumigation and decontamination of public spaces, can efficiently be carried out.
The Government of Lesotho has eased the lockdowns restrictions implemented to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The Kingdom is only country in Africa yet to report a single case of COVID-19. Lesotho went into a nationwide 21 day-lockdown on 29 March 2020 and extended the confinement by two weeks until 05 May 2020 on 21 April 2020. The country's Prime Minister, Thomas Thabane, announced in a televised address to the nation on 05 May 2020 that businesses, public services and state companies are allowed to resume operations. Some classes in primary and high schools and all tertiary institutions are also allowed to resume. The wearing of masks has been made mandatory in public places. Lesotho's borders remain closed for the time being.
Fastjet (Zimbabwe) has adjusted its plans to resume operations in line with the second extension of the lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus in Zimbabwe. According to the airline, domestic flights will remain suspended until 20 May 2020. International flights between Zimbabwe and South Africa remain suspended. Fastjet has extend its flexible booking change policy, which permits unlimited changes with no fees until 30 September 2020 for all affected customers on suspended flights. The airline's call centre, shops, airport ticket sales and trade support services will remain closed during the period of the lockdown in Zimbabwe and will resume from 18 May 2020.
update (29 August 2020): Comair's business rescue practitioners have asked for an extension until 02 September 2020 for the publication of the business rescue plan.
update (27 August 2020): According to news reports, Comair has received a R1.5bn (€75m) business rescue offer. The chosen offer from an as-yet-unnamed consortium will see the airline resume operations on 01 December 2020, the return of its former management team under former joint CEO Glenn Orsmond and the delisting of the company from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). We'll keep you posted!
update (11 August 2020): Comair has managed to secure R40m in short-term bridging finance that will enable it to meet its limited operational overheads and allow its business rescue process to continue.
update (20 May 2020): According to the business rescue practitioners of Comair, Shaun Collyer and Richard Ferguson, there's a reasonable prospect for the airline to be saved as its assets exceed its liabilities. The business rescue plan will probably be published on 09 June 2020 and the vote to approve the final plan is expected on 24 June 2020.
update (11 May 2020): Comair remains hopeful that operations will resume at or about 01 November 2020.
Comair, which operates scheduled services on domestic routes in South Africa as a British Airways franchisee and also operates as a low-cost carrier under its own kulula.com brand, just announced that it enters business rescue - South Africa's bankruptcy protection process - to safeguard the interests of the company and its stakeholders after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the implementation of a turnaround plan. According to CEO of Comair, Wrenelle Stander, the company is facing an unprecedented situation following the nationwide lockdown in South Africa. Shaun Collyer and Richard Ferguson have been appointed as the joint business rescue practitioners with effect from 05 May 2020. Comair was granted approval to suspend the trading of its shares on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) with immediate effect.
In terms of the lockdown in South Africa Comair was required to stop flying on 26 March 2020 and has not operated any passenger services since. Customers with existing bookings will be able to rebook flights within 12 months of their departure date. There will be no charge for any changes made before 01 November 2020. We'll keep you posted!
Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), the state owned enterprise mandated to run the tourism facilities within the protected areas of Namibia, has been using the coronavirus lockdown in Namibia to do some renovations at two of its five resorts in Etosha National Park. Due to the absence of tourists, NWR saw the opportunity to fast-track the work it had begun before the Government of Namibia introduced travel resrictions.
At Okaukuejo Resort, located 17 km from the southern entrance of Etosha National Park, the campsite ablution and field kitchen have been renovated. At Halali Resort, which is located halfway between Okaukuejo Resort and Namutoni Resort in Etosha National Park, attention has been placed on improving the look and feel of the resort
