Situation in South Africa August 2021

Dear MJ:

Thank you so much for reaching out and for asking feedback on the situation in SA from a local perspective. Here are the key points I thought I would share with you which should reassure you to continue preparing your lovely trip in 2022.

Borders: Our borders are open to anyone in the world and have been opened now for a while (we only closed our border for 6 months in the last 18 months since the start of Covid-19 in March 2020).

Covid-19: We have successfully navigated the peak of our 3rd wave, where the highest number of case per day was 20,000. Right now we have around 6,000 new cases per day and it’s dropping, so the measures put in place by the government have been efficient and continue to fight properly against the virus. I’m pretty proud of SA for wearing masks outside the houses, for gel dispensers at every shop or restaurants and for people respecting social distancing and greeting with an elbow shake or fist bump.

Entries in South Africa: Anyone can enter SA as long as they bring a negative PCR test issued 72 hours before arrival. For now vaccinated people entering SA also require to bring a negative PCR test, though we expect this will change in the near future with the arrival of an international health passes.

Vaccination: Despite a slow start as a result of vaccine supply issues, almost 3 million South Africans have now been fully vaccinated with another 8 million citizens having received their first dose. Anyone in SA over 35 is now eligible to get vaccinated and we are expecting to vaccinate the over 18, very soon. Most of our friends and family in SA have now been vaccinated.

Mask: Masks have always been compulsory outside your house in SA since the start of Covid-19 in March 2020, and it is interesting for me as a Frenchman, that South Africans have embraced mask-wearing more than some of the western countries, including France .

Tourism sector: Similar to the rest of the world, tourism has been badly affected in SA. Many establishments had to close down (especially restaurants and hotels). However, there’s still enough establishment to truly enjoy SA when holidaying, and we are impressed with the unique grassroot options that are popping up to fill the space.

Restaurants/Activities: Restaurants are open and alcohol is allowed, including but not limited to wine tastings. All activities such as Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope and Kruger Park are open for business as usual. All parks and beaches are also open.

Safety: You might have heard about the isolated riots taking place a few weeks ago in Durban and Johannesburg. These were caused by supporters of the ex-president of the country, Jacob Zuma. Following years of trials accusing Zuma of corruption, the ex-president was recently found guilty and imprisoned. Although we strongly disapprove of the way the protests were conducted, we feel proud that justice prevailed and the strong anti-corruption message it sent out. The riots have now died down, and there were no riots in the Western Cape where Cape Town is based, Kruger Park, or anywhere else apart from these two cities in SA.

I hope this put your mind at ease when looking at travelling in 2022 to our beautiful country. South Africa has always been a magically beautiful country, with an incredible richness in diversity, culture and natural beauty. Despite the hardship of the past few months, locals are welcoming internationals with bright smiles and an eagerness to help you have the most memorable holiday.

Let me know if you have any other questions and I will be happy to answer them.

Talk to you soon.

Merci

François

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