South Africa: Travellers from Africa & from countries with low COVID-19 rates will be allowed to enter South Africa from 01 October 2020! [update]

update (29 September 2020): South Africa's Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said at the World Tourism Day celebrations on 27 September 2020 that international tourists from low risk COVID-19 countries will not require a quarantine period, but only need to show a COVID-19 negative certificate on arrival.

update (28 September 2020): The Government of South Africa will adopt a risk-based system in selecting which countries will be allowed to travel into South Africa and which countries South African citizens will be allowed to fly to. It will use the same approach that was used before South Africa entered into a level 5 lockdown, with countries categorised as "high-risk" or "low-risk" for travel purposes. South Africa's Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane has revealed during an event to commemorate World Tourism Day (27 September 2020) that "most countries" will be allowed on the country's permitted travel list for Level 1.

update (26 September 2020): The Government of South Africa has not yet revealed its
list of countries allowed to travel to South Africa

update (23 September 2020): According to South Africa's Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, the list of countries allowed to travel to South Africa will be published later this week and will be based on science and research. South Africa's Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, said in an interwiew South Africa would be using World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines to determine which countries to allow in when international travel resumes. We'll keep you posted!

South Africa's Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, announced in a media briefing on Coronavirus COVID-19 level 1 lockdown regulations on 18 September 2020 that all travellers from the African Continent as well as travellers from countries outside the African Continent with a low COVID-19 infection and transmission rates will be allowed to enter South Africa from the 01 October 2020. These travellers need to present a valid certificate of a negative COVID-19 test obtained not more than 72 hours (3 days) before the date of travel when entering South Africa. International travel from countries with high COVID-19 infection and transmission rates will remain prohibited execpt for business travel which may be allowed with the approval South Africa's Department of Home Affairs. The list of permitted and prohibited countries will be based on the latest scientific data and updated accordingly. According to Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, the relevant South African ministers are in consultations regarding this list and are aiming to publish it before 01 October 2020.
The 18 land borders that were partially operational during the previous lockdown levels will be fully operational from 01 October 2020. The 35 land borders that were closed during the previous lockdown levels will remain closed. OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg, Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town and King Shaka International Airport (DUR) in Durban are the only airports that will allow international air travel to arrive or depart.

 

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