The cabinet’s decision to open the country’s borders on 1 October 2020 to “most” countries is a significant milestone in placing the sector on the irreversible path towards full recovery, says Tourism minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane.

On this date, all travellers from the African continent and from countries outside the African continent with a low rate of Covid-19 infection and transmission, will resume.

Speaking at a World Tourism Day event on Sunday (27 September), Kubayi-Ngubane said South Africa’s data shows a downward trend in the risk of virus spread.

“South Africa is arguably amongst the safest tourist destinations in the world. We are hopeful that South Africans will continue to social distance, wear masks and take all the necessary precautions to protect themselves so that we can continue to reduce the spread of the virus,” she said.

Kubayi-Ngubane said that as part of the recovery, it will be critical for us to focus on protecting and rejuvenating the supply side of the market.

“The public and private sector will have to find ways of working together to ensure business continuity, aligning the value-chain to new biosecurity standards, as well as investment facilitation and market access,” she said.

“The rising domestic demand which will soon be augmented by the international market when we open the borders will have be met by sufficient supply side infrastructure. This is a very critical element of our road to recovery.”

On the mend

Kubayi-Ngubane said that since government opened inter-provincial travel under level 2 lockdown, shed has been travelling across the various provinces visiting establishments and meeting with travellers and establishment owners.

“I am happy to report that many of the establishments are ready to reopen if not already opened and South Africans are very keen to travel their own country,” she said.

“Across the country South Africans are sending me messages and pictures of their tourism experiences. South Africans are taking their families and friends to adventures, for game drives, hiking and other kinds of memorable tourism experiences that our country has to offer.

“After six months of lockdown, South Africans are going all out to rediscover their country.”

The minister said that the ‘vibrancy’ of the domestic tourism sector is in line with government’s recovery plan which envisages that a recovery will happen in phases.

“In this regard, we predicted that the recovery will start with domestic tourism, then regional land and air markets, and lastly, resumption of world-wide international travel,” she said.

Travel list

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula says that South Africa will adopt a risk-based system in selecting which countries will be allowed to travel into South Africa and which countries South African citizens will be allowed to fly to.

Mbalula said that government will largely adopt same approach that was used before South Africa entered into a level 5 lockdown, with countries categorised as ‘high-risk’ or ‘low-risk’ for travel purposes.

“For instance, if you take the whole of the United States it will probably be high risk, and we will then deal with it as such. Whereas the UAE will likely be seen as a low-risk country,” Mbalula said.

The Transport minister indicated that the government will look at placing entire countries or regions on the high-risk list due to the possibility of connecting.

Using the example of the United States, he said it was possible for passengers to board and fly anywhere from New York, to Miami or Los Angeles. This means that the country is as a whole as a risk.

However, he said that the government will also take a ‘differentiated approach’ and formulate its list on a country-by-country basis, based on the current coronavirus situation.

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September 22, 2020 Nigeria News

The federal government has commenced visa processing on a reciprocity basis for applicants from countries that have reopened their international airspace and have begun issuing visas to Nigerian applicants.

The Consulate General of Nigeria in South Africa confirmed this development in a statement issued yesterday, saying the federal government has granted payment waivers to certain categories of visitors/migrants affected by travel restrictions introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It said: “The Consulate General of Nigeria, Johannesburg, wishes to announce the recommencement of visa processing, on Reciprocity Basis, for applicants from countries that have reopened their international airspace and have begun issuing visas to Nigerian applicants. In this regard, the federal government of Nigeria has granted payment waivers to certain categories of visitors/migrants affected by travel restrictions introduced during the Coronavirus pandemic.

“All visitors/migrants whose permits expired from March 23 to September 5, 2020, should provide evidence of confirmed return tickets scheduled to travel out of Nigeria to obtain a free extension to depart on or before September 15, 2020.

“All migrants whose permit/visitor’s pass expired before March 23, 2020, shall pay an Overstay Penalty for the number of days stayed before the lockdown on March 23, 2020.”

The Consulate General added that all resident migrants whose permits expired outside Nigeria from March 23, 2020, would be allowed entry into Nigeria with the expired permits on or before September 25, 2020.

It stressed that such returning holders of expired permits and their dependents are to renew the permits within 30 days of arrival in Nigeria to avoid sanctions under relevant immigration laws.

It said that all migrants who processed payments for visa on arrival and all other categories of visas from Nigerian Missions before March 23, 2020, are to apply for revalidation and upload a copy of previous payments not later than September 15, 2020.

The Consulate General said all migrants who obtained a visa on arrival pre-approval letters and all categories of visas from Nigerian Missions before September 23, 2020, whose approval/visas expired before September 5, 2020, are also to apply for revalidation without making fresh payments, by uploading copies of the expired pre-approval letters/visas not later than September 15, 2020

September 19, 2020 - Commercio

UAE’s Emirate Airline has been banned from operating in Nigeria.

Emirates Airline has been added to the list of airlines which have been banned from operating in  Nigeria. The ban will take effect from the 21^st of September.

This was announced by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika in a social media statement on Friday.

“The PTF subcommittee met today with EU Ambassadors to discuss Lufthansa, Air France/KLM ban. The meeting progressed well. Emirates Airlines’s situation was reviewed & they are consequently included in the list of those not approved, with effect from Monday the 21st Sept 2020.” Sirika stated.

This comes as the UAE government has been accused of not renewing visas of Nigerians in Dubai and also rumours of a VISA ban for Nigerians applying for visas.

Last month, the UAE embassy in Nigeria denied there is a VISA ban on Nigerians entering the Middle Eastern country. They said: “At the onset of the COVlD-19 pandemic, the UAE took a number of precautionary measures to combat the virus’ spread, including the temporary suspension on issuing UAE visas for all nationalities as of March 17, 2020.

After entering the recovery phase of the pandemic, the UAE eased some measures on July 7, permitting visitors from various countries to adhere to the necessary precautionary measures, including by showing negative PCR test results within 92 hours of travelling to the UAE. This includes those visiting from Nigeria.”

Business Tech - 23 September 2020

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has published a series of directives which outline the country’s move to a level 1 lockdown and the new rules that are in place.

In the first directive, Dlamini-Zuma confirms that the country will move to a level 1 lockdown from 00h01 on Monday morning (21 September).

In the second directive, the Cogta minister provides more clarification on the changes announced by President Cyril Ramamphosa in his national address on Wednesday evening.

The biggest changes are outlined in more detail below.

Re-opening of borders 

From 1 October 2020, all travellers from the African continent and from countries outside the African continent with a low rate of Covid-19 infection and transmission, will resume.

This will be subject to:

• The traveller providing a valid certificate of a negative test which was obtained not more than 72 hours before the date of travel; and
• In the event of the traveller’s failure to submit a certificate as proof of a negative test, the traveller will be required to quarantine at his or her own costs.

To temporarily control entry into South Africa from countries outside the African continent, the relevant cabinet members shall, after consultation with the cabinet member responsible for health, determine in directions:

• Criteria for controlling entry into the Republic, from such countries with a high Covid-19 infection and transmission rate;
• The list of such countries with a high Covid-19 infection and transmission rate, which list may, from time to time, be amended.
• International travel from countries listed as having a high Covid-19 infection and transmission rate, will remain prohibited except for business travel which may be allowed with the approval of the Cabinet member responsible for home affairs.

All commercial seaports will be opened but international air travel is restricted to the following airports:

• OR Tambo International Airport;
• King Shaka International Airport; and
• Cape Town International Airport.

The list of high risk and safe countries is still to be finalised. It will be published by the respective department, before travel opens up on 1 October, Dlamini-Zuma said.

The minister said the list will be changing as new data becomes available, and won’t be a one-off. Long-term visas will be activated from 1 October.

Gatherings 

Every person, when attending a gathering, and in order to limit exposure to Covid-19, must:

• Wear a face mask;
• Adhere to all health protocols;
• Maintain a distance of least one and a half metres from each other; and
• Adhere to any other health protocols and social distancing measures as provided for in directions issued by the relevant cabinet member after consultation with the cabinet member responsible for health.

In addition, an owner or operator of any indoor or outdoor facility where gatherings are held must display the certificate of occupancy which sets out the maximum number of persons the facility may hold.

The directive also outlines the following rules for specific gatherings, provided that no more than 50% of the capacity of the venue is used, with persons observing a distance of least one and a half metres from each other.

Other notable rules include:

• Gatherings at faith-based institutions are limited to 250 persons or less in case of an indoor gathering and 500 persons or less in case of an outdoor gathering;

• Gatherings at social events are limited to 250 persons or less in case of an indoor gathering and 500 persons or less in case of an outdoor gathering;

• Gatherings at political events and traditional council meetings are limited to 250 persons or less in case of an indoor gathering and 500 persons or less in case of an outdoor gathering;

• Gatherings at conferences and meetings are limited to 250 persons or less in case of an indoor gathering and 500 persons or less in case of an outdoor gathering. Provided that persons participating through electronic platforms are not included in these limitations;

• Gatherings at a workplace for work purposes are allowed;

• Gatherings for recreational purposes at cinemas, theatres, concerts and live performances are limited to 250 persons or less in case of an indoor gathering and 500 persons or less in case of an outdoor gathering;

• Gatherings at casinos are limited to not more than 50% of the capacity of the venue, with persons observing a distance of least one and a half metres from each other.

Alcohol sales

The sale of liquor is permitted:

• By licensed premises for off-site consumption is permitted from 09h00 to 17h00, from Mondays to Fridays, excluding weekends and public holidays;
• By licensed premises for on-site consumption is permitted, subject to strict adherence to the curfew.

Funerals 

Attendance at  funerals is limited to 100 persons or less:

• Provided that not more than 50% of the capacity of the venue is used, with persons observing a distance of least one and a half metres from each other.
• Night vigils are not allowed.
• During a funeral, a person must wear a face mask and adhere to all health protocols and social distancing measures.

Curfew

Every person is confined to his or her place of residence from 00h01 until 04h00 daily, except where a person  has been granted a permission for work purposes or is attending to a security or medical emergency.

Masks 

• A person must, when in a public place, wear a face mask, except when undertaking vigorous exercise; and
• May not be allowed to be in a public place, use any form of public transport, or enter a public building, place or premises, if that person is not wearing a face mask.

Closed to the public and exclusions 

The following areas remain closed and/or are specifically excluded under the country’s level 1 lockdown:

• Night vigils;
• Night clubs;
• The 35 land borders that remain closed;
• Initiation practices;
• Passenger ships for international leisure purposes;
• Attendance of any sporting event by spectators;
• International sports events;
• Exclusions relating to certain public transport services;
• Exclusions relating to certain education services.

OUSSANOGLOU – 25 September 2020

The issuing of five-year residence permits to property investors from outside the European Union has all but ground to a halt. Based on Migration Policy Ministry data, in the year to early September only 368 so-called Golden Visas were issued, taking the sum of investors to have received these permits since the beginning of the program to 7,903.

At end-2019 their number had come to 7,535, from 4,107 permits at end-2018. Therefore 2019 was a record year for the program with the issue of 3,428 Golden Visas, after the inflow of at least 857 million euros for the acquisition of properties setting each investor back at least €250,000.

The sum of at least €857 million accounts for almost half of the total amount all foreign investors spent on Greek properties last year. In fact that sum was much higher, as according to estate agents specializing in this market the figure soared above €1 billion because most investors tend to choose assets that are worth over €300,000 each.

Bank of Greece figures have shown that the sum of foreign capital that flowed into the country for the acquisition of real estate assets last year reached €1.45 billion.

It therefore becomes clear that 2020 will be a lost year for the Golden Visa program too, as the interested buyers have been unable to travel to Greece for months due to the pandemic and the central decision by Brussels to ban the entry of citizens from non-EU countries, with only a handful of exceptions. This has led to the cancellation of a series of transactions that were in the final stage of completion.

It recently emerged that at least 120 Chinese investors who have already bought property in Greece cannot return to this country to submit the necessary documents for the issue of their residence permit. It is noted that out of the 7,903 Golden Visas issued, 5,869, or 74%, concerned Chinese nationals. The same problem concerns investors from the US, South Africa, India, the United Arab Emirates and Iran.

The second wave of the pandemic has banished any hopes for a rebound in transactions over the course of the fourth quarter, with Attica, where over 70% of such investments take place, being on the verge of very tight restrictions.

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