The United States will allow fully vaccinated South African travellers back inside its borders come November 1 but the same can’t be said for our UK counterparts.
The measures announced by the White House will see restrictions eased for the UK and the 26 Schengen countries in Europe, as well as Ireland, China, Iran, Brazil, South Africa and India.
South Africa remains on the UK’s red list and all travellers from SA to the UK will be treated as unvaccinated even if they have been fully vaccinated. The sheer hypocrisy of it all thoroughly displeased international relations and co-operation minister, Naledi Pandor who said her department was shocked by the decision.
In a statement released by the department of international relations and co-operation, quoted in the Sunday Times Daily editorial, the department outlined the difficulties many travellers face when having to travel up north.
“Thousands of families and business people in SA and the UK are shocked at this continued exclusion, especially given SA’s progress in combating the Covid-19 pandemic, as evidenced by the rapid declining infection rates due to a robust vaccination programme and excellent science.”
The editorial went on to outline the sensible approach from the Americans to lift restrictions while also outlining the decision from Germany to also drop restrictions for SA travellers as long as they have been vaccinated for 14 days.
Sarah Buitendach writes about the massive costs aligned with having to quarantine when you travel to the UK from South Africa. While Buitendach also criticised the UK government for its decision to keep SA on the red list saying, “While people from countries like the US, with wildly unrestrained Covid infection numbers, enter Britain with nary a restriction in sight, there are thousands of Southern Africans who cannot afford to do what I did, and can’t afford to dodge the quarantine by going via Europe, and so haven’t seen their families in a year.”
Here’s a roundup of interesting opinions and analyses:
Banking on sustainability: South African lenders launch task force to crack down on illicit cash flows from wildlife trafficking – Tanya dos Santos, Daily Maverick
Damned and cursed, this ‘cultural Marxist’ has heard it all – Tom Eaton, Business Day (for subscribers)
Why do we allow multinationals to treat us with disdain and trample over us with impunity? – Sasha Planting, Daily Maverick
Exploiting gig workers will only make SA’s jobs crisis worse – Pitso Tsibolane, Fin24 (for subscribers)
The judiciary must stay intact and keep fighting – Sydney Majoko, The Citizen (for subscribers)
The next wave of ANC leadership – Shawn Hagedorn, Daily Friend
Fear Inc – The prison we have lived in since 9/11 – Christopher McMichael, New Frame
Elections 2021: Next time leave the Constitutional Court out of a political storm – Ralph Mathekga, News24
