While most sectors of the economy will open – including logistics, manufacturing, trade, wholesale and e-commerce – at level three of South Africa’s lockdown on June 1, tourism is still considered a high-risk economic sector.
This was confirmed on Sunday evening in a national address by president Cyril Ramaphosa. Accommodation facilities will remain closed as will events, conferences and exhibitions.
Domestic air travel will also still be on hold, except for business travel. Ramaphosa said more details on this would be revealed later this week.
South Africa’s borders would remain closed, with the exception of movement of goods and repatriation efforts.
He said he had had “regular engagements” with the tourism, hotel and restaurant industry regarding the challenges they are facing.
These respective sectors had submitted several proposals they intended to put in place to de-risk operations when facilities re-opened, Ramaphosa said. “We are giving consideration to those proposals,” he added.
The president did not say how long level three lockdown would last but did warn that if COVID-19 cases increased dramatically the country could face a return to level four or five.
