South African Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has called on travellers from high-risk coronavirus countries to not come to South Africa as they would not be allowed to enter the country.
This came as South Africa grounded 20 flights at the OR Tambo, Cape Town and King Shaka International airports on Friday.
EUROPE
All grounded flights from Italy, France, China, Germany and the UK were sent back to the country of origin with foreigners onboard.
Germany as one of the high-risk countries, is not being allowed entry into the country.
Mbalula has grounded a ship full of more than 2000 Germans in Cape Town and will not allow them to disembark. It is understood the German government is sending four chartered flights to Cape Town to fetch the citizens this weekend
CHINA
On the Chinese flight which landed at OR Tambo around 8.30am on Friday, Mbalula said: “No Chinese citizens have been allowed to disembark. Some of the citizens from China were saying they are going to Namibia and Mozambique, and those airports are shut down, so we sent them back to China”.
“Don’t come to us, we won’t come to you”
And to travellers from high-risk countries, Mbalula had a stern message for them.
“We are equally emphasizing, don’t come to South Africa, we will not come to you,” he said
Those countries which are not high-risk will continue to be received in SA.
