Originally Posted by
LufthansaFlyer
When I read paragraph 2, I don't see much difference from the previous gazette. Did I miss something obvious? Seems like they clarified a few things, but created nothing new.
I suspect the technicality is the statement that starts 3(a): 'subject to the travel requirements of a country of destination' which 'should' require testing only if traveling to places that require it. I don't get the impression that it is a blanket statement for every single departing int'l pax. Could ZA even execute testing for that many people in such a short window? Doubtful. How many people would miss flights, etc.
The difference I see between paragraph 2 and 3 is paragraph 2's section (K) for in bound travelers:
an Operator shall not board any passenger without a valid negative PCR or a valid COVID -19 negative test certificate;
Paragraph 3 does not have language as harsh as what (K) states in 2. I see it as you better have a test if the place you're going to needs one. Or did they forget the sentence saying it applies to ZA residents flying out of the country!
. Seems like any of their commentary is only 80% complete.
They have mostly changed the order of all the subsections in paragraph 2 to confuse everybody, however the important part is in the top section where it used to say:
"international passenger flights, inbound to the Republic from the African Continent and from other countries outside the African Continent, as determined in accordance with the list contemplated in regulation 75(4)(b) of the Regulations, are permitted, subject to the following conditions:"
And it now says:
"With effect from the date of publication of these Directions, international passenger flights to and from the Republic shall be permitted, subject to the following conditions:"
So paragraph 2 section (K) now also applies to flights from the Republic, at the same time paragraph 3 is still there, one could read it as "an addition" to paragraph 2 whereby the government explains which labs/tests PAX should use within ZA.
On the other hand, would airlines even notice they changed paragraph 2 unless they announce it? I suppose it remains to be seen, so far these gazettes have not even been put on the Government's COVID-19 website (
https://www.gov.za/covid-19/resource...virus-covid-19) and no NOTAMs have been sent when I checked a few hours ago.