Covid-19: Zimbabwe lifts curfew!

The Zimbabwean Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services yesterday (21 June 2022) announced that the Cabinet of Zimbabwe has decided to relax some Covid-19 measures and regulations as follwos: The Covid-19-related midnight-to-dawn curfew (00:00 - 05:30) has been lifted and the business hours during which restaurants and bars in Zimbabwe may operate has been expandeed from 08:00 to 03:00.
As at 20 June 2022, the cumulative Covid-19 cases in Zimbabwe stood at 254 919, whith 247 649 recoveries (recovery rate: 97%).

#PostCabinetBriefing
- Business hours for hospitality industry is now from 0800 to 0300 hrs the following day
- Curfew has been lifted
- All Covid19 public health and social measures must continue to be strengthened. pic.twitter.com/liThh3k4fG

— Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting (@InfoMinZW) June 21, 2022

Survey: Cape Town International Airport in Cape Town named Best Airport in Africa for the seventh consecutive year!

Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town was named Best Airport in Africa for the seventh consecutive year at the 2022 SKYTRAX World Airport Awards™. Durban's King Shaka International Airport (DUR) came in second in the continental category, followed by OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg. Bram Fischer International Airport (BFN) in Bloemfontein was named tenth Best Airport in Africa. Kigali International Airport (KGL) in Rwanda's capital Kigali was voted seventh Best Airport in Africa 2022.
Cape Town International Airport (CPT) also won the Best Airport Staff in Africa Award and the Africa: The Cleanest Airports 2022 Award, while King Shaka International Airport (DUR) won the Best Regional Airport in Africa Award.  The Intercontinental Johannesburg O.R Tambo Airport in Johannesburg was named Best Airport Hotel in Africa 2022.

SKYTRAX' annual World Airport Awards™ are the most prestigious accolades for the airport industry, voted by customers in the largest, annual global airport customer satisfaction survey. They are regarded as the quality benchmark for the world airport industry, assessing customer service and facilities across over 550 airports. The survey and awards are independent of any airport control, influence or input. Analysis of the results shows a close correlation to customer numbers using the airports during 2021, a time when varying travel conditions remained in place across many global regions, and with air travel quickly returning across most of the world, more normal times are coming back.

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Cape Town: Helderberg Nature Reserve temporarily closed! [update]

update (12 July 2022): The  Helderberg Nature Reserve is scheduled to re-open on  01 August 2022.

The City of Cape Town has announced that as a result of the recent wild fire, the Helderberg Nature Reserve will remain closed for the next month to assess the damage and determine which reinstatement measures are required. The fire damaged the Nature Reserve early Saturday morning (11 June 2022) and was contained Sunday morning (12 June 2022). The mopping up operations continued throughout Sunday until significant amounts of rain started falling in the Helderberg Nature Reserve during the early hours of Monday morning (13 June 2022). Approximately 280 hectares of the Nature Reserve has been burnt, however, ecologically, the fire has not had a negative impact as much of the veld was mature and due for a managed ecological burn. The Biodiversity Management Team of the City of Cape Town is currently assessing the damage to the reserve infrastructure, but can confirm that various benches, water bars on the trails and a portion of the boardwalk around the duck pond was destroyed by the fire.

The Helderberg Nature Reserve is located in Somerset West. It is owned and managed by the City of Cape Town with the support of the Friends of the Helderberg Nature Reserve. The Nature Reserve reaches up as far as the cliff faces and the peaks above the Helderberg Nature Reserve are managed by CapeNature.

Ivory Coast: Air Côte d’Ivoire to launch flights to South Africa!

The flag carrier of Ivory Coast, Air Côte d’Ivoire, is set to launch flights to South Africa. Effective 29 June 2022, the airline will operate four weekly flights between Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport (ABJ) in Abidjan and OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg via N'djili Airport (FIH) in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bookings opened on 01 June 2022.

Sawubona South Africa !#AirCotedIvoire#10ansaircotedivoire#flywithaircotedivoire#Fromabidjantojoburg pic.twitter.com/eCM6SzlU2i

— Air Côte d'Ivoire (@AirCI_Officiel) June 10, 2022

Covid-19: Namibia extends the current public health measures for another month!

Namibia's President Dr. Hage G. Geingob announced on the occasion of the 44th Covid-19 briefing on the national response measures on 14 June 2022 that the current Covid-19 Public Health Regulations, which are due to expire at midnight on 15 June 2022 will be extended for another month from 16 June 2022 to 15 July 2022 for the next bouquet of measures to contain the spread of Covid-19. According to President Geingob, Namibia is in the last stages of the 5th Wave, which started on the 10 May 2022 with 222 cases, and had a peak of 585 cases on the 18 May 2022. Regrettably, 21 deaths were recorded since the start of the 5th Wave of Covid-19.

In terms of entry into Namibia, President Geingob said the following:

• Children who are more than five years and less than 12 years and anyone who is not fully vaccinated must present a negative PCR result of fewer than 72 hours.
• Children fully vaccinated should present proof of vaccination status.
• Children from countries that are not vaccinating should present a negative PCR test result.
• Health Officials are strongly advised to avoid separating children from parents in event the accompanying child/children have not met the Port of Entry requirements.

Namibia: Eleven rhino carcasses discovered in Etosha National Park! [update]

update (11 July 2022): According to Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, law enforcement officials in Namibia have arrested 11 people in connection with the June 2022 poaching incidents where 11 rhinos were killed in Etosha National Park.

Namibia's Mininstry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has announced that eleven black rhino carcasses without horns have been discovered in Etosha National Park since 01 June 2022. Investigations indicate that the carcasses range between 3 weeks and older. This brings the total number of recorded cases of rhino poaching in Namibia to 22 since the beginning of this year. No arrests have been made yet on the recent discovery of rhino carcasses in Namibia's flagship park..
The MEFT further announced that it will together with the Namibian Police Force, the Namibia Defence Force and other partners intensify wildlife protection and law enforcement interventions in Etosha National Park. 

Cape Town: The "Cape Wheel" closes for relocation! [update]

update (10 January 2023): The Cape Wheel said in the comments section of its latest instagram photo on 19 December 2022 that it will reopen in early 2023. We'll keep you posted!

The famous Cape Wheel, a giant observation wheel that offers a spectacular 360 panoramic view of Cape Town from the vibrant V&A Waterfront precinct, is set to close for relocation. It will move from its current position in front of the Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre to the new location near an open grass space known as Breakwater Park. The Cape Wheel will stop operating on 19 June 2020. It will then be dismantled and be reassembled at the new site, with additional new activities like skilled games and food and beverage outlets. The Cape Wheel will re-open in time for the start of the Cape Town summer in November 2022. We'll keep you posted!