update (11 August 2020): South African National Parks (SANParks) reminds overnight guests planing to stay in Kruger National Park to book accommodation in their respective provinces otherwise they risk being turned back from the park. North of the Olifants Rest Camp cater only for Limpopo residents and south of the Olifants Rest Camp for Mpumalanga.
update (07 August 2020): South Africa's Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane has published the amended Risk-Adjusted Strategy for Tourism Facilities, Services and Products to include the regulations for Guided Tour Operators which includes Overland Safari Vehicle (OSV) Operators. [more]
South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced that accommodation facilities in the majority of its 19 National Parks, including Kruger National Park, will be open for intra-provincial leisure travellers as from 14 August 2020. In addition, Addo Elephant National Park, Camdeboo National Park, and Karoo National Park will reopen accommodation facilities in 17 August 2020, while Mountain Zebra National Park is set to reopen its cottages, chalets and the camping ground on 20 August 2020.
According to SANParks CEO Fundisile Mketeni, the reopening of the National Parks for accommodation is done under the strictest health protocols to safeguard both staff and guests. Accommodation in the National Parks will initially not run at full capacity as SANParks will employ a phased-in approach to opening. Travellers can therefore expect limited availability of accommodation in some National Parks in the beginning stages of the reopening, with a gradual increase in availability in the next few weeks.
SANParks has implemented additional visitor management procedures in line with regulations and to further mitigate the risk of the spread of coronavirus. Overnight guests will be required to provide proof of residence (municipal account or similar legally accepted form of verification of primary residence) at the time of booking accommodation and again when checking in. No more than two people will be allowed per accommodation unit except for parents and children.
Tour operators will be allowed to conduct guided tours in Guided Overland Safari Vehicles (OSVs) [Open Safari Vehicle?] once regulations pertaining to their operations are gazetted by the Government of South Africa; all OSV operators need to be registered with SANParks before they are permitted to enter the parks.
The opening of visitor activities and tourist attractions in the National Parks will be in keeping with restrictions and aligned with the opening dates set out. As more information is gazetted SANParks will amend the protocols and inform guests. We'll keep you posted!
update (01 August 2020): The Government of South Africa has published an official gazette detailing the amendments.
South Africa's Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, announced during a virtual media briefing on tourism-related activities in alert level three of the country's risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of COVID-19 on 30 July 2020 that accommodation facilities will soon get the permission to open for leisure purposes. However, no more than two people may share a room, with the exception of a "nuclear family". Short-term rental sharing, such as Airbnb, will remain closed.
Intra-provincial (within a province) leisure travel will be allowed, while inter-provincial (between provinces) leisure travel remains prohibited. Tour operators will be allowed to provide guided tours in open-top vehicles. South Africa's Government will publish an official gazette detailing these changes and the official implementation date shortly. We'll keep you posted!
In the wake of an announcement by South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa that accredited and licensed accommodation providers can resume operations in alert level three of the country's risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of COVID-19, South African National Parks (SANParks) is preparing for a recall of its hospitality staff and for a phased-in approach in the reopening of its overnight facilities. According to SANParks CEO, Fundisile Mketeni, SANParks will approach the opening of its accommodation facilities responsibly to ensure that the gains made by South Africa in curbing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic are not compromised.
SANParks' CEO further said that hospitality staff will get a re-training on new operating protocols in line with industry standards to ensure compliance with regard to the regulations in South Africa. SANParks will announce the dates for the reopening of accommodation bookings in the next few days. We'll keep you posted!
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced in a national address on 17 June 2020 that the country will move to an "advanced" alert level three lockdown, with a number of business sectors reopened to the public. Following discussions with industry representatives and after advice from scientists and consultation with the Cabinet, South Africa's Government has decided to ease restrictions on certain other economic activities.
These activities include:
- Restaurants for "sit-down" meals
- Accredited and licensed accommodation, with the exception of home sharing accommodation like AirBnB.
- Conferences and meetings for business purposes and in line with restrictions on public gatherings.
- Cinemas and theatres, to be aligned to limitations on the gathering of people.
- Casinos.
- Personal care services, including hairdressers and beauty services
- Non-contact sports such as golf, tennis, cricket and others. Contact sports will be allowed only for training and modified activities with restricted use of facilities.
According to President Cyril Ramaphosa, in each instance, specific and stringent safety requirements have been agreed to by the various representatives of these industries. These will need to be put in place before a business can reopen, and protocols will need to be strictly adhered to for businesses to remain open.
Further details on opening dates and the guidelines that must be followed will be made public in due course. We'll keep you posted!
update (22 July 2020): Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has announced that all of its reserves in KwaZulu-Natal are open to the public for self-drive excursions execpt for Hlathikhulu, Lubombo Mountains, Bluff and Skyline.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the governmental organisation responsible for maintaining wildlife conservation areas and biodiversity in KwaZulu-Natal, has has been gradually opening some of its Game Reserves and Game Resorts in line with South Africa's alert level three regulations.
The following Game Reserves and Game Resorts have been reopened on 08 June 2020:
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park:
- Visitors are advised that staff at both of Park's gates will take only cash and Rhino Loyalty Cards.
- Hides are closed but ablution facilities are open
Only self-drive excursions are permitted in Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife's game reserves with a maximum of three people per car. This is in line with coronavirus regulations social distancing. Other protocols to be followed include hand-sanitizing and wearing of masks.
Communities living adjacent to reserves that do not have dangerous animals like Royal Natal, Didima and Giant’s Castle will also be able to hike throughout their preferred hiking spots, provided they are not in groups and they keep physical distance as per the exercising guidelines. Accommodation facilities will remain closed to the public except to those who may be on business trips.
update (28 July 2020): The Lion’s Head section of Table Mountain National Park is still closed to the public!
update (17 June 2020): The Lion’s Head section of Table Mountain National Park is still closed to the public!
South African National Parks (SANParks) just announced the temporary closure of the Lion's Head section of Table Mountain National Park with immediate effect. Cape Town's famous landmark will be closed until further notice. According to SANParks, this decision was made due to the fact that people have not followed rules in relation to thee alert level three regulations of the nationwide lockdown in South Africa.
"Due to the nature of the trail, recreational activities are no longer permitted in these areas due to none compliance by users in accordance to the Alert Level 3 regulations of the Nationwide Lockdown." [SANPArks, 06 June 2020]
Lion's Head is a mountain in Cape Town between Table Mountain and Signal Hill. Lion's Head, which peaks at 669 metres above sea level, is part of the Table Mountain National Park.
South Africa National Parks (SANParks) today (06 Jun 2020) announced that self-drive excursions for day visitors will be permitted from 08 June 2020 in National Parks in South Africa that cater for self-drives. SANParks is limiting face-to-face contact between staff and guests by encouraging online and telephonic day visit bookings and full payment of conservation fees prior to arrival where possible. Bookings can be made at 012 428 9111 or sanparks.org from 08 June 2020. In the case of Wild Card members, guests have to ensure that their membership is valid prior to arrival.
Namaqua National Park as well as Boulders Beach and Cape Point in Table Mountain National Park remain closed for the meantime.
The majority of gates at Kruger National Park will be open with the exception of Pafuri Gate and Numbi Gate. Gate quotas for Kruger National Park have been revised to approximately one third of what they were prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Three time slots for arrival will be introduced with the understanding that booked day visitors must arrive at the gate within that time span. Slot 1 is from 06:00 to 08:00, Slot 2 from 08:00 to 10:00 and Slot 3 from 10:00 onwards.
Hides and picnic spots at all National Parks remain closed; braaing at picnic sites will also not be allowed during this period. Ablutions will be open in camps, at gates and at some picnic spots. A limited number of shops and petrol stations will open in some parks during the course of the week and will be operated in accordance with relevant alert level 3 lockdown regulations. South Africa's lockdown regulations relating to movement between provinces must be observed within the National Parks. Inter-provincial travel within National Parks that stretch between two provinces is not permitted. Guests therefore must exit into the province from which they entered the park.
SANParks is requesting guests to adhere to all official alert level 3 regulations when inside the National Parks including wearing masks, keeping social distance, and following transport capacity directives. SANParks also implores guests not to deposit their litter inside the bins within the National Parks but to leave with as much of it as hygienically possible.
update (04 June 2020): Mango just announced that it will resume services for business travel only on 15 June 2020. The airline will offer flights between Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.
The Government of South Africa has allowed limited domestic air travel during alert level three of the country's risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of COVID-19. As of 01 June 2020, domestic air travel for business purposes is allowed, subject to restrictions on the number of flights per day and authorisation based on the reason for travel. No catering are allowed during flights and no onboard magazines are provided. The last row of the aircraft is reserved for isolation of suspected cases.
According to the country's Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, the resumption of domestic flights in South Africa will be rolled out in three phases. During phase one, only OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg, King Shaka International Airport (DUR) in Durban, Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town and Lanseria International Airport (HLA) in Johannesburg have the permission to operate. In phase two they will be joined by Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP) in Nelspruit, Polokwane International Airport (PTG) in Polokwane and Bram Fischer International Airport (BFN) in Bloemfontein. Phase three will see the re-opening of Kimberley Airport (KIM) in Kimberley, East London Airport (ELS) in East London, Upington Airport (UTN) in Upington, Mthatha Airport (UTT) in Mthatha and Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) in Port Elizabeth.
South Africa's flag carrier, South African Airways, announced at the end of May 2020 that it will resume domestic services in mid-June 2020, but the airline's business rescue practitioners (BRP) disagreed with the deciscion and announced that the airline is not preparing to resume flights.
Mango, subsidiary of South African Airways, is "still in the process of making final deliberations and will advise you on a way forward in due course" (Facebook).
Flysafair will resume operations on 15 June 2020 and offers return flights between Johannesburg and Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, Cape Town and Durban, as well as flights between Lanseria International Airport (HLA) in Johannesburg and Cape Town and Lanseria and Durban.
Airlink will launch a limited scheduled domestic air service from 08 June 2020, with flights on the Johannesburg <> Cape Town and Johannesburg <> Durban trunk routes.
CemAir is set to resume flights between Johannesburg and Cape Town on 05 June 2020 and between Johannesburg and Durban on 08 June 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, has entered into voluntary business rescue proceedings and will not resume operations before November 2020.
