Revised ‘red list’ for international travel a huge setback for economic recovery
19 October 2020
We are deeply disappointed at the announcement today (19 October 2020), that the Department of Home Affairs has revised their “red list” which now includes Germany and effectively kills our key source markets for tourism in the Western Cape.
International markets are a key economic driver for the tourism sector in the Western Cape, and so the full re-opening of our borders to leisure travellers, with stringent health protocols in place ahead of the summer season is absolutely critical to the sector’s immediate recovery, medium-term stability and long-term survival.
We do welcome the increased capacity that has been allocated to process business traveller applications after I wrote to the Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, on this matter last week following several complaints about a failure to respond. I am also pleased that my suggestion of a 24-hour turnaround for applications is being implemented and I now urge the department to finalise the remaining backlog of 1 588 applications as soon as possible.
We also welcome the concession to allow regular visitors who are coming to stay for a three-month period or more, subject to Covid-19 protocols.