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Travellers to South Africa must use tracing app
By John Eche
Travellers to South Africa must subscribe to the use of a compulsory tracing app which would be installed on their mobile phone as they enter the country, The Difference has learnt.
This is part of a series of measures put in place by the authorities to continue to combat the scourge of the Coronavirus pandemic in the country.
And in appreciation of the visible evidence that the African continent has fared fairly well in handling the pandemic this far, visitors from all over Africa are to be allowed into the country without any hassles.
All they need, in addition to accepting the tracing app on their mobile phone, is to show evidence of a negative Coronavirus test that was conducted some 72 hours before their coming into the country and then submitting themselves to a routine screening exercise.
However, tourists from some countries with relatively higher coronavirus infection rates would still face restrictions. According to Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor, the restrictions would be in place for about 50 countries in all. They include the UK, USA, India, Russia and France.
“Only business travellers with scarce and critical skills, diplomats, investors and professional sports people coming for events from the high-risk countries will be permitted into the country,” the minister affirmed.
Specifically, several land borders and the three main airports in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg are to be reopened.
South Africa leads the numbers count in respect of the coronavirus pandemic in the continent, with 672,572 infections and 16,667 deaths recorded this far.
The measures would be reviewed every two weeks, the statement from the Foreign Ministry outlined.
President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa
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