South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa has said the borders of the country will be opened to most countries on Thursday, October 1.
Ramaphosa said this while addressing the nation on Wednesday, September 16, following a special cabinet meeting on matters relating to the covid-19 pandemic.
“We will gradually and cautiously ease restrictions on international travel… allowing travel into and out of South Africa for business, leisure and other travel with effect from the 1st of October 2020,” Ramaphosa said.
The president also announced that the country will move to Level 1 of the lockdown, which will take effect on Sunday, September 20.
“This move recognises that levels of infection are relatively low and that there is sufficient capacity in our health system to manage the current need,” Ramaphosa explained.
In order not to let all guards down, the president said curfew will apply between midnight and 4 a.m. Also, the country will ease restrictions on international travels, slowly and carefully to avoid putting the nation at risk of higher infection rates.
He added, “Travel may be restricted to and from certain countries that have high infection rates.”
Photo source: Open Democracy
