On 20 September 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that on 1 October South African borders will be opened for business and leisure travel subject to a number of restrictions.
In Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pondor’s speech today, she stated that all travellers visiting South Africa will be expected to abide by the regulations, including:
– Mandatory wearing of masks at all times.
– Practising social distancing in public spaces
– Regular washing or sanitizing of hands
– Presenting a negative COVID-19 test result, not older than 72 hours from the time of departure.
– Upon arrival, the traveller will be screened for any COVID-19 symptoms or for contact with people who have been infected with the COVID-19 virus.
– Travellers will also need to provide proof of accommodation address should they need to self-quarantine at the time of arrival in the country.
Should the traveller display any COVID-19–related symptoms or been in contact with an infected person(s), they will be expected to take a mandatory COVID-19 test. This test will be at the traveller’s cost. If the COVID-19 test comes back positive, the traveller will be subjected to a 10 day quarantine at a designated site. The accommodation at a quarantine site will be at the traveller’s cost.
In reopening selected ports of entry and borders, the government will be guided by epidemiological and transmission rates both in South Africa and the traveller’s countries of origin. It is therefore important to note that this list can change.
South Africa’s Banned Leisure Travel List is currently as follows:
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Faroe Islands
- France
- French Polynesia
- Georgia
- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Guam
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- Luxembourg
- Maldives
- Malta
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- Nepal
- North Macedonia
- Oman
- Palestine
- Panama
- Palau
- Paraguay
- Portugal
- Puerto Rico
- Romania
- Qatar
- Russia
- San Marino
- St Marteen
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Suriname
- Switzerland
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
- US Virgin Islands
- Venezuela
