NEWSLETTER ON THE REPATRIATION OF SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZENS

Since the announcement of the State of Disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa, which sawSouth Africa implementing a lockdown from 26 March 2020, the Department ofInternational Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has facilitated the repatriation by air ofover 4 000 South Africans stranded abroad. Hundreds more have also returned through landborders.

This means that more South Africans have now been repatriated than the initial 3 639 whorequested repatriation. However, many more remain destitute, distressed and strandedabroad and this number increases as the lockdown in the various countries, including SouthAfrica, continues.

DIRCO remains seized with ensuring that all these South Africans return to the countrywithin the provisions of the lockdown regulations and all required approvals. In this regard,

South Africans who have been stranded in Morocco, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Côted’ Ivoire will be repatriated between 14 and 16 May 2020.

Following the regrettable delays of the Qatar Airways flight scheduled for 6 May 2020,it arrived a day later with 121 South Africans. Another flight from Qatar with 167 SouthAfricans arrived on home soil on 12 May 2020. Discussions with Qatar Airways areongoing in an effort to resolve challenges relating to the other proposed repatriationflights.

8 April 2020A SAA flight from São Paulo repatriated 66 South Africans from BrazilA SAA flight from Frankfurt repatriated 54 South Africans from Germany

9 April 2020A Turkish Air cargo flight repatriated two South Africans accompanying mortal remains of the deceased father

10 April 2020A private charter repatriated four South Africans from AfghanistanA private charter repatriated 49 South Africans from Namibia

11 April 2020A SAA flight from Brussels to Johannesburg, with a stop-over in Lagos, repatriated 119 South AfricansA private charter repatriated 41 South Africans from the Maldives

12 April 2020A SAA flight from London to Cape Town repatriated 200 South AfricansA private charter repatriated four South Africans from Madagascar

13 April 2020A SAA flight from Ghana repatriated 62 South Africans

14 April 2020A private charter repatriated three South Africans from Zambia

15 April 2020A SAA flight chartered by Workaways International in the United States of America repatriated 305 South African workers

16 April 2020An Ethiopian Airlines cargo flight from Addis Ababa repatriated 13 South Africans

17 April 2020A SAA flight from Frankfurt via Luanda repatriated 84 South Africans

18 April 2020A SAA flight from Frankfurt via Rome repatriated 80 South Africans from ItalyA private charter repatriated six South African crew members from Haiti

19 April 2020A SAA flight from Frankfurt repatriated 206 South Africans A private charter flight repatriated 36 South Africans from Luanda, Angola A private charter flight from Cameroon via Luanda, Angola, repatriated 29 South Africans

21 April 2020A Saudi Air flight repatriated 93 South Africans from Saudi ArabiaA private charter repatriated 83 South Africans from Pakistan

23 April 2020A SAA flight re-routed through Cairo, Egypt, repatriated 25 South AfricansA Saudi Air flight repatriated 60 South Africans A special charter flight from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) repatriated 11 South Africans

24 April 2020A special charter flight repatriated 23 South Africans from ZambiaA special charter flight repatriated two South Africans from Zambia

25 April 2020The last SAA flight from Frankfurt, chartered by the German Government, returned to South Africa with 160 people on boardAn Emirates Air flight repatriated 165 South Africans on a special charter flight from DubaiA special charter flight repatriated nine South Africans from Guinea ConakryA special charter flight repatriated 23 South Africans from the Seychelles

28 April 2020A Qantas Air flight, chartered by the Australian Government, repatriated 185 South Africans

29 April 2020A charter flight from Tanzania repatriated 26 South AfricansA charter flight from Egypt repatriated 13 South AfricansA charter flight from the DRC repatriated 51 South Africans

30 April 2020A Namibian Air Charter repatriated 23 South Africans

1 May 2020A charter flight from Mali repatriated 19 South AfricansA CemAir Charter flight from Harare repatriated 26 passengersAn Ethiopian Airlines charter repatriated 256 South Africans (Workaways)A private charter flight repatriated three South Africans from Madagascar

2 May 2020A private charter flight repatriated 19 South Africans from Mali

3 May 2020A SAA flight from Washington, USA, repatriated 275 South Africans A flight from Ethiopia repatriated 27 South Africans

4 May 2020A flight from Zambia repatriated 21 South Africans

7 May 2020A flight from Qatar repatriated 121 South Africans

8 May 2020A flight from Jeddah repatriated 165 South Africans A flight from Bangkok repatriated 235 South Africans A flight from St Helena repatriated one South African patientA flight from Guinea repatriated nine South AfricansA flight from Bali and Jakarta repatriated 134 South Africans

10 May 2020A flight from Washington repatriated 236 passengersA flight from Zambia repatriated 18 passengers

11 May 2020A flight from Windhoek, Namibia, repatriated 18 South Africans Another flight from Windhoek repatriated 26 South AfricansA flight from Zambia repatriated 21 South Africans

12 May 2020A private charter from Beira repatriated three South Africans A flight from Qatar repatriated 167 South Africans.

13 May 2020

#Repatriation

ARRIVALS TO DATE

Over 4 000 South Africans have been repatriated to date.Hundreds more have crossed over land borders from neighbouring states.

“DIRCO remains seized with ensuring that all South Africans return to the country within the provisions of the lockdown regulations and

all required approvals.”

CONTACT US: Command Centre: +27 12 351 1754+27 12 351 1756Cicc1@dirco.gov.za or Cicc2@dirco.gov.za

ACSA HAS FACILITATED EVACUATION,

REPATRIATION OF OVER 13 783 PASSENGERS

I recently read an article about the reparation flights from Washington DC to South Africa on 3 May 2020 and am surprised tosee it reported on in such a bad light. We landed at 4:30pm at OR Tambo and were on the plane for about two hours as theyhad to check every passenger’s temperature and collect forms regarding health concerns they had about COVID-19.

Although it was a long process, it was needed to ensure everyone’s safety. The flight attendants were very friendly, and Ifound out that they were volunteering to be on the flight. Without them, none of the South Africans in the States, includingme, would have been able to come home.

The article said that we were kept on the tarmac for five hours, which was accurate, but given the circumstances wasunderstandable. After they checked our temperature, they let us out 20 passengers at a time to avoid big groups. Of course,this took a while as I was in row 64, which meant I was one of the last to get off the plane.

I understand that this was for my safety, so I did not mind. Once we got off the plane, we were directed to Home Affairswhere they check our passports and that was a very quick process. Then we were lined up to get onto minibuses which tookus to our bags, which were next to the plane. Once everyone got their bags, group by group, all the minibuses lined up andwere waiting for instructions to leave. We were in the buses for a while but there were people coming around looking forpassengers.

Once the buses started moving, we did not really know where we were going; we just knew we were going to be quarantinedfor 14 days alone. Luckily, we are currently placed at The Capital in Sandton, which is gorgeous and very cosy. The staff comearound three times a day to drop off meals, which are quite tasty. They have also dropped off extra toiletries and coffeesupplies.

Another section of the article stated that we had to wait 10 hours before we could board. This honestly depended on whattime you got to the airport. I flew from Chicago to Washington that morning and went straight to International Flights wherethere were many desperate South Africans waiting to get home. I got there seven hours before the flight and there werealready over 100 people standing around at SAA’s check-in. The confirmation email stated that we had to get there fourhours before the flight to check in. There was a very long line, which went around the check-in area, which I stood in for agood two hours but I made friends with the family standing in front of me and eventually we made it to the actual check--inwhere they had a list of people’s names who were on the flight.

There was some confusion as some people were not on the list but got some form of communication that their flight wasconfirmed, so they were allowed on the flight. It was quite chaotic and there ae still many people trying to get home. That iswhy I am grateful to be back in South Africa.

Although there was a lot of confusion as to what was happening, and it took longer than a normal transition would, I couldsee that all the staff working that day were trying their best and always greeted with a smile and a warm welcome home. Ido not think any company or government could have handled the situation better under these circumstances. I am verythankful to everyone who made it possible for all 200+ South Africans to come home.

Personal account: Repatriation experience from the USABy Jesica Smit

“Although there was a lot of confusion as to what was happening, and it took longer than a normal transition would be, I could see that all the staff working that day were

trying their best and always greeted with a smile and a warm welcome home.

“I do not think any company or government could have handled the situation better under these circumstances. I am very thankful to everyone who made it possible for

all 200+ South Africans to come home.”

“We are making every effort to support thereturn of South Africans who find themselvesstranded overseas. We are working closelywith governments. We are really workinghard at this. It is a very challenging situation.”

– Dr Naledi Pandor

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CACfIUHjKs

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https://www.instagram.com/tv/B_-

I4aZhRTl/?igshid=1abfzvt8hlylp

“The Embassy in Bangkok did everything they absolutely could. I want to thank them for organising everything …”

“A heartfelt thank you to the South African Government, President Cyril Ramaphosa, SAA, DIRCO

and everybody that was involved … Thank you so much for working tirelessly …”

To watch the interview go to https://youtu.be/rhZD0FB9fnc.