Location: South Africa
Event: The South African Ministry of Health confirmed 3,953 cases of COVID-19 within its borders.
On April 23, 2020, the government of South Africa announced measures to gradually reopen lift the lockdown. The lockdown measures were implemented to limit the spread of COVID-19.
The government of South Africa will implement an easing of lockdown restrictions and a gradual recovery of economic activity beginning May 1, 2020. The country is currently at level 5, but will be lowered nation-wide to level 4 on May 1. As the full national lockdown ends, South Africa will shift to a system of alert levels at the provincial and district levels. Level 4 guidelines include:
- Essential goods and services will continue to be available at all levels.
- National borders will remain closed except for repatriation travel.
- There will be no travel between provinces except for transport of essential goods and exceptional circumstances.
- Public transport will operate with limitations on numbers and subject to sanitation.
- Residents can exercise under strict public health conditions.
- All gatherings remain prohibited.
- Elderly and those with underlying conditions must remain at home.
- Places of entertainment remain closed and sports events remain suspended.
Please see full text of the speech at http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/.
Effective March 26, 2020, U.S. Consulates General Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban have suspended routine consular services. For emergency American Citizens Services, including emergency passports, please visit our websites for additional information.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 3 Travel Notice for South Africa.
Local Resources
- View U.S. Embassy Pretoria’s most recent alerts.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa: Extension of Coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown to the end of April
- Announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa of 21 day lock-down (Mar 23, 2020)
- Statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on measures to combat COVID-19 epidemic
- COVID-19 information page on National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD)
- Department of Home Affairs page for latest information on travel requirements for South Africa
- COVID-19 Corona Virus: South African Resource Portal
Other links
- COVID-19 information page on travel.state.gov
- CDC page on COVID-19
- Travel.state.gov Country Information and Travel Advisory page
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the U.S.
Assistance:
United States Embassy to the Republic of South Africa
(Note: The Embassy does not provide consular services.)
877 Pretorius Street, Arcadia, Pretoria
Tel: 012-431-4000 (outside South Africa: +27-12-431-4000)
https://za.usembassy.gov/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/USEmbassySA/
State Department – Consular Affairs
1-888-407-4747 or 1-202-501-4444
South Africa Country Information
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