The largest German airline, Lufthansa, has resumed flights between Frankfurt Airport (FRA) in Frankfurt and Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town. The first flight since the lifting of the international travel ban in South Africa landed in Cape Town on 08 October 2020. The airline will operate two weekly flights between Frankfurt and Cape Town on Mondays and Fridays with all flights departing in the evening and landing at their destination in the morning.
Lufthansa also resumed flights between Frankfurt and OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg. The airline's flight on 01 October 2020 was the very first international flight to arrive in South Africa after ending a more than six-month ban on international travel in South Africa that was part of the country's restrictions to combat the spread of COVID-19. With the resumption of flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town, Lufthansa's flight schedule to South Africa is now fully operational.
Two other Lufthansa Group carriers, Swiss International Air Lines and Austrian Airlines, are also resuming their operations into South Africa. Swiss International Air Lines already resumed its service last week with a once weekly nonstop return service from Zürich Airport (ZRH) in Zürich to Johannesburg. Austrian Airlines recently announced their plans to resume flights between Vienna International Airport (VIE) in Vienna and Cape Town in mid-December 2020.
09 October 2020
Lufthansa's flight schedule to South Africa is fully operational!
South Africa rolls out rapid antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 detection at all ports of entry!
The Government of South Africa yesterday (08 October 2020) announced that rapid antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 detection will be rolled out at all ports of entry in the country with immediate effect. Rapid antigen tests (different from antibody tests) are immunoassays that detect the presence of a specific viral antigen, which implies current viral infection. Results of antigen tests are typically available within 15 minutes – as opposed to the roughly 48-hour turnaround time for polymerise chain reaction (PCR) tests. The cost for a rapid antigen test is R150-R170, while a PCR test usually costs R850. Please note that the cost of the antigen test has to be paid by the traveller and not South Africa or their country of origin. Also note that PCR tests have a much higher sensitivity and specificity than rapid antigen tests. The purpose of the rollout of rapid antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 detection is to effect the provisions of the level one travel regulations, which stipulate that all travellers that arrive at a South African port of entry without a certified negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR test result (not older than 72 hours) must be tested at the point of entry before entering the country.
In the event of a traveler arriving at a port of entry without a certified negative PCR test, this shall be the procedure:
- The traveller will be screened for signs and symptoms on arrival
- Upon failure to produce a certified polymerise chain reaction (PCR) test result, the traveller will be directed to a testing facility at the port of entry
- A staff member from National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) will collect the samples and conduct the test immediately
- The cost shall be borne by the traveller and the NHLS shall be remunerated upon testing. Travellers must be prepared to pay out of pocket (approximately R150 - R170) and claim the fees from their health insurance service provider (pending the relevant insurance agreement)
- If the traveller tests negative, he/ she will be allowed to proceed through the port of entry provided they have been cleared of red flags at the screening phase
- If the traveller tests positive he/ she will be required to quarantine at a facility designated by that particular port of entry. They will not be permitted to travel across provinces. Contacts of a traveller testing positive at the point of entry, including those who were in proximity of the traveller within the conveyance, will also be tracked and traced.
- Travellers who arrive without a certified PCR test and who refuse to test at the port of entry will not be permitted entry into South Africa and will be required to quarantine at a designated facility [src.]
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently approved the use of rapid antigen tests as a point of care diagnostic for COVID-19 for screening and surveillance tool in the community where a rapid result is required at low cost. Rapid antigen tests have been commonly used in the diagnosis of respiratory pathogens, including influenza viruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
08 October 2020
Rwanda: African Parks takes over the management of Nyungwe National Park!
African Parks, a non-governmental organization (NGO) focused on conservation, and the Government of Rwanda have signed an 20-year agreement for Nyungwe National Park, through which African Parks is taking over the management of the National Park. The NGO will work together with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), a government department that integrates all government agencies responsible for the attraction, retention and facilitation of investments in Rwanda's economy, to secure the sustainability of Nyungwe National Park by improving law enforcement, investing in and stimulating local enterprise, and by optimising the National Parks's potential for conservation-based tourism.
Nyungwe National Park, which is located the south-west of Rwanda, is the largest expanse of forest in the country. The National Park is home to a quarter of Africa’s primates – 13 species including chimpanzees and the extremely rare Hamlyn’s and L’Hoest’s monkeys - as well as to more than 1,000 plant species, 75 known mammal species, 322 bird species and at least 120 butterfly species.
Nyungwe National Park represents the second such partnership between RDB and African Parks in Rwanda, following a management agreement for Akagera National Park that began 2010. It is the 19th Park in Africa to join the African Parks portfolio.
Mozambique has inaugurated a new national park in the Manica Province!
Mozambique has transformed the Chimanimani National Reserve, located in Manica Province in the west of the country, into a National Park as part of the Government's efforts to protect the ecosystem, biodiversity, flora and water resources of the Chimanimani mountain range. The new Chimanimani National Park (PNC) covers an area of 2,300km² and is the only habitat in the world for at least 73 species of plants and a number of rare mammals. According to a statement by Mozambique's Ministry of Land Environment and Rural Development, the new National Park is one of the few areas in the world where mountain elephants are found. Chimanimani National Park (PNC) forms part of the Trans-Frontier Chimanimani Conservation Area (Mozambique/Zimbabwe) and is considered as a historical landmark.
Botswana: Lonely Planet adds the Okavango Delta to the Top 10 of its "Ultimate Travel List"!
The popular travel guide book publisher Lonely Planet
Other destinations on the "Ultimate Travel List" include the Unesco Heritage Site of Petra (#1) in Jordan, the Galapagos Islands (#2) in Ecuador, the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (#3) in Australia, the Yellowstone National Park (#5) in the US, Lake Bled (#6) in Slovenia, the Iguazú Falls (#7) on the border of Argentina and Brazil, Angkor Wat (#8) in Cambodia, the Salar de Uyuni (#9) in Bolivia and the Annapurna Circuit (#10) in Nepal.
Namibia: Air Namibia's regional & international services remain suspended! [update]
update (15 October 2020): According to aviation specialists ch-aviation, Air Namibia's international operations will remain on hold until further notice, but not indefinitely suspended.
Namibia's flag carrier, Air Namibia, has extened the suspension of regional and international flights. According to media reports from Namibia, the extension will last (at least) until 31 October 2020. Namibian newspaper "The Namibian" cites Air Namibia's corporate communications officer, Twaku Kayofa, saying that "regional and international flights are on hold because borders to certain destinations remain closed or only opened on 1 October". He also told the newspaper that most of the passengers to the regional destinations come from the Frankfurt international route, which is currently not operating. According to Mr Kayofa, the continued suspension of Air Namibia's regional and international flights has a detrimental effect on the airline's already difficult cash flow position.
Air Namibia resumed domestic operations on 20 September 2020 after the Government of Namibia lifted the State of Emergency. We'll keep you posted!
07 October 2020
Eastern Cape Tourism has announced the dates of the annual "FREE access" week! [update]
update (19 October 2020): Eastern Cape Tourism has released a list of Provincial Nature Reserves taking part in the "FREE access" initiative. The following Reserves will offer free access:
- Commando Drift Provincial Nature Reserve
- East London Coast Provincial Nature Reserve
- Mpofu - Fort Fordyce Provincial Nature Reserve
- Mkhambathi Provincial Nature Reserve
- Oviston Provincial Nature Reserve
- Thomas Baines Provincial Nature Reserve
- Waters Meeting Provincial Nature Reserve
- Dwesa Provincial Nature Reserve
- Great Fish River Provincial Nature Reserve
- Hluleka Provincial Nature Reserve
- Ongeluksnek Provincial Nature Reserve
- Silaka Provincial Nature Reserve
- Tsolwana Provincial Nature Reserve
Eastern Cape Tourism announced on Facebook and Twitter that all 16 provincial Nature Reserves in the Eastern Cape managed by the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) are offering free access for one week (Monday to Sunday) at the end of October 2020. The "FREE access" initiative starts on 26 October 2020 and ends on 01 November 2020.
Experience the natural wonders of our provincial nature reserves with FREE access from 26 October to 1 November 2020 #ECYours2Explore pic.twitter.com/2ArcHf8fq5
— Eastern Cape Tourism (@EC_Tourism) October 7, 2020
To get to know the provincial Nature Reserves in the Eastern Cape, Eastern Cape Tourism has released the new Provincial Nature Reserve Visitor Guide. Click here (pdf) to download the Visitor Guide.