Stranded in South Africa?
Are you stranded in South Africa during the lockdown following the outbreak of COVID-19? Please find relevant info as received from the different embassies and distributed by SATSA:
Switzerland – repatriation flight
(Uploaded Mar. 31, 2020) The Consulate General of Switzerland has announced that a repatriation flight is planned from Cape Town International Airport to Zurich, departing on 3 April 2020 at 19h30, local time.
Please check the website of the Consulate General of Cape Town for additional information. Link below.
A link is available on the site which will allow individuals to register for this flight. Registration must be done before Wednesday, 1 April, at 12h00 (noon) local time.
Please note: Individuals who have already contacted the General Consulate in Cape Town or the Embassy in Pretoria earlier and voiced their wish to return, should register again, in order to ensure the completeness of personal information and uniformity of data.
Terms and conditions
• The flight is payable by the customer and normal market rates apply. Passengers will not have to pay upfront (before boarding the aircraft), an invoice will be sent to you later;
• Customers who had a ticket for the Edelweiss flight of 31 March 2020 Cape Town – Zürich, now cancelled, will have to contact Edelweiss/the travel agent afterwards about the possibility of reimbursement;
• The number of seats is limited: “first come, first serve” and prioritisation according to set rules apply.
More information is available on the website of the Consulate General of Switzerland in Cape Town.
Germany
(Uploaded Mar. 29, 2020) The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany has reached out to the tourism industry in South Africa and neighbouring countries to please assist in passing on a message to any German Nationals who might still find themselves in the country.
Please click to access the message and instructions from the German Ambassador.
Britain
(Uploaded Mar. 28, 2020) The British High Commission has sent out a letter to all British nationals in South Africa. The core message:
“If you are one of those affected, we would like to know who you are and where you are, so we can help you in whatever way we can. Please email the details listed below to our dedicated mailbox SouthAfricaBritishNationalReturns@fco.gov.uk
- Your full name as shown on your passport
- Passport number
- Date of birth
- Place of residence in UK
- Where exactly you are currently staying in South Africa
- Email address and telephone number (please ensure that you are able to receive phone calls from unidentified numbers, including internationally, in case we need to reach you)
- Any specific medical needs/vulnerabilities
The full message and instructions from the British High Commissioner can be found here.
The Netherlands
(Uploaded Mar. 28, 2020) The Dutch Government has issued a travel advisory for its citizens stuck in South Africa during the lockdown. Should you have any guests from The Netherlands or customers that need assistance, please click here for an informative Q&A.
Spain
(Uploaded Mar. 28, 2020) For Spanish citizens, non-resident in South Africa, Lesotho, Mauritius, Comoros or Madagascar, who were not have been able to return home before lockdown, the Spanish Embassy is requesting that you send them an email as per instructions in the post. Guides, operators and accommodation establishments should pass this information on to Spanish citizens:
Email: emb.pretoria.nac@maec.es | Cog.ciudaddelcabo@maec.es
They should include:
• Current accommodation
• Number of Spanish citizens
• Passport number
• Contact number in Spain and South Africa
France
(Uploaded Mar. 27, 2020) French citizens, non-resident in South Africa, should let the French Government know where they are, in case of urgent evacuation:
https://pastel.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fildariane/dyn/public/login.html
French citizens looking for accommodation during lockdown: http://www.sosuntoit.fr/
French Consulate Details:
• Johannesburg: +27 (0)82 467 2588
• Cape Town: +27 (0)83 460 4360
For a useful FAQ aimed at French tourists, please click here
Embassy contacts
Following the announcement of a national lockdown in South Africa effective midnight on 26 March 2020:
Tourism is NOT AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE and therefore needs to adhere to the lockdown regulations that have come into effect.
SATSA encourages establishments and operators to ask their guests to contact their embassy as soon as possible to ascertain what support is in place for them while they are still in South Africa.
Click here to access the updated list of Embassy contacts.
Travel Advice
These links offer travel advice from various countries:
UK
Germany
USA
Italy
The Netherlands
Australia
For more information regarding travel in and to South Africa during the lockdown, visit the dedicated COVID-19 section on the SATSA website.