Lord Peter Hain referred to it as “more cock-up than conspiracy”. The Western Cape government prefers “a baffling diplomatic shambles.” What really matters is the UK’s effective banning of travel to and from SA is finally over.
As had been telegraphed earlier in the week, SA was indeed among the beneficiaries when the British government yesterday slashed its Covid red list from 54 to 7 countries.
This means on their return home, Brits who travel to SA – and all other African destinations – will no longer be forced to quarantine for 10 days in a government-approved hotel (costing £2 200).
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The only countries still on the UK’s red list are Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Venezuela, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The only proviso is that travellers must prove they have been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson or Astra Zeneca jabs.
After a well-publicised few days of testing, SA’s vaccine certificate system officially went live this morning. Here’s the link: https://vaccine.certificate.health.gov.za/Â The code it asks for is the one sent to you via SMS after your vaccination.
Based on the Western Cape government’s published average spend of R24 000 per UK visitor – and Mantis CEO Paul Gardiner’s 450 000 UK tourists a year – that re-opens an annual R11 bn revenue injection for SA’s embattled hospitality industry.
It works the other way, too.
For the past year and a half it has been either practically or, for dual passport holders, financially impossible for local business executives to travel to London. That ends from Monday when many will regard the need for physical contact overcoming the inconvenience of being masked-up for 11 hours.
The new digital vaccination cards state they are only valid until January 2022. The plan is for them to be updated before yearend to remain in line with global standards.
More for you to read (click on linked headline to access) –
* Ireland signs on to global deal seeking to curb tax avoidance. The country had been one of a small number of holdouts on an agreement that aims to overhaul global taxation.
* Wine deal making surges as investors look past Covid-19 woes. Vineyard valuations rise with wave of private capital, M&A.
* What to watch: Six shows and a documentary to stream this week. ‘Acapulco’ examines the price one pays for dreams; and more to add to your queue.
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