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A total of 13 783 passengers have been evacuated and repatriated from South Africa between April 1 and April 18, said SA Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula.
He said Airports Company South Africa had, to date, facilitated the evacuation and repatriation of travellers at OR Tambo, Cape Town and King Shaka international airports.
The flights were permitted in terms of the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs regulations, with 10 904 foreign nationals and 2 879 South Africans evacuated.
“Adherence to COVID-19 safety regulations and hygiene measures remained a priority in the evacuation and repatriation processes,” said Mbalula.
He has also urged aviators, specifically drone owners and pilots, to adhere to the Disaster Management Act’s regulations and abide by its guidelines to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
The Minister reported a surge in the number of applications for permission to fly remotely-piloted aircraft systems (drones).
Mbalula said the South African Civil Aviation Authority had received a handful of requests from small private aircraft owners requesting permission to fly their aircraft for various business-related activities, including farm owners wanting to fly into various provinces to check on operations.
“While these applications are being reviewed on a case-by-case basis, it is important to remember that the country is under lockdown for a reason,” said Mbalula. “We cannot put lives at risk in an effort to rescue unessential business operations. If it is not deemed urgent, it must wait.”
Source: tourismupdate.co.za