Andrew Stegmann
,

Expat Nest Podcast: Thriving Abroad Together with Louise Wiles

Expat Nest has published a podcast in partnership with expat coach and author Louise Wiles, that focuses on everything from love to parenting to lock-down. This interview is rich in practical coping strategies for dealing both with lock-down and stress.

Listen to the discussion here.

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].



Andrew Stegmann
,

Updated Level 2 Lock-down Rules for South Africa: Flights, Home Affairs, Transit, and Weddings

Government has gazetted a number of directives which clarify and update a number of rules around the country’s move to a level 2 lock-down.

This includes changes around events such as weddings, rules around travelling as well as a new list of services which will be offered by Home Affairs.

These changes are outlined in more detail below.

Home Affairs services

Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has confirmed that the following additional services will be available at Home Affairs offices during the level 2 lock-down:

  • Applications for first issue of Identity Card or Green Barcoded Identity Documents;
  • Applications for Identity Cards or Green Barcoded Identity Documents by persons who have been issued with a Temporary Identity Certificate during the national state of disaster, which certificates have expired;
  • Applications for amendments of personal particulars;
  • Applications for rectification of personal particulars;
  • Back Office records retrieval services.

The directive also states that all temporary identity certificates issued during the period of the national state of disaster that have not yet expired on the date of commencement of this Directions, are hereby extended up to 31 October 2020.

Weddings and other events 

Tourism minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane has published a new directive clarifying the rules around weddings and other events.

The regulations state that attendance at a venue for a wedding, exhibition or any other function is limited to 50 persons and all hygienic conditions and physical distancing measures must be adhered to, for the limitation of exposure of persons to Covid-19.

The directive further states that the person organizing the wedding, exhibition or function and the owner or manager of the venue must ensure compliance with the requirement relating to physical distancing of at least one and a half metres and the wearing of a cloth face mask, a homemade item or another appropriate item that covers the nose and mouth, by all attendees.

Other requirements include:

  • Set up screening stations at entrances to facilitate the screening of persons before entry;
  • Not allow access to a person who is not wearing a cloth mask, or homemade item that covers the nose and mouth or another appropriate item to cover the nose and mouth;
  • Ensure that every person wears a cloth face mask, a homemade item or another appropriate item that covers the nose and mouth at all times except when eating or drinking;
  • Ensure that every person sanitizes before entry;
  • Sanitize microphones and podiums after use by every person.

Flights 

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula has published a new directive indicating that domestic passenger flights are permitted at the following airports:

  • Bram Fischer International Airport;
  • Cape Town International Airport;
  • East London Airport;
  • George Airport;
  • Hoedspruit Airport;
  •  Kimberly Airport;
  •  King Shaka International Airport;
  •  Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport;
  • Lanseria International Airport;
  • Margate Airport;
  • Mthatha Airport;
  • OR Tambo International Airport;
  • Phalaborwa Airport;
  • Pietermaritzburg Airport;
  • Port Elizabeth International Airport;
  • Richards Bay Airport;
  • Skukuza Airport;
  • Upington International Airport.

The directive also confirms that all international passenger flights are prohibited, except those flights authorized by the Minister of Transport.

Public transport 

In a separate directive, Mbalula  confirmed that all long-distance intra-provincial and inter-provincial travel by private vehicles and public transport services are permitted.

  • Minibus, midibus or minibus taxi -type services are permitted to carry not more than 70% of their maximum licensed passenger-carrying capacity for long-distance intra-provincial travel and inter-provincial travel;
  • Bus services are permitted to carry not more than 70% of their licensed passenger-carrying capacity for long-distance intra-provincial and inter-provincial travel;
  • Bus, minibus, midibus, minibus taxi -type services, e-hailing services, meter taxis, shuttle services, chauffeur driven vehicles and scholar transport vehicles are permitted to carry 100% of their maximum licensed passenger capacity for short-distance travel;
  • Rail operations are permitted to carry not more than 70% of their licensed passenger capacity.

The directive also confirms that the transportation of liquor is now permitted.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
,

Here Are the Updated Lock-down Rules for Hotels, Airbnbs, and Restaurants in South Africa

Tourism minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane has outlined the new travel and accommodation rules for South Africa under the new level 2 lockdown.

Kubayi-Ngubane said that the lockdown has decimated the tourism industry with a number of companies closing permanently or introducing mass retrenchments.

The minister said that her department has developed further regulations alongside the move to a level 2 lockdown to provide further clarity in a number of areas. She further outlined the new changes below.

Accommodation

Kubayi-Ngubane said that the regulations announced around the country’s level 3 lockdown will largely remain in place.

The exception are the eased rules around inter-provincial travel for leisure purposes, with all accommodation facilities allowed to accept visitors from outside of their province.

In addition, breakfast and reception areas at accommodation venues must ensure less than a 50% occupancy of floor space.

The level 3 lockdown rules published at the end of June provide that accommodation facilities will be allowed to open for leisure purposes.

However, no more than two people may share a room, with the exceptions of a ‘nuclear family’. The directive states that this includes family members or caregivers living in the same household.

Kubayi-Ngubane confirmed that attractions and theme parks will also be allowed to open under level 2, provided health and safety guidelines are followed.

In terms of Airbnbs, the minister said that all accommodation is open, and it is up to the host of a home-sharing venue to ensure that they are compliant with the sanitation and social distancing regulations.

Restaurants

Kubayi-Ngubane also confirmed that the level 3 requirements will remain in place for the country’s restaurants.

The obvious exception is the reintroduction of alcohol sales for on-site consumption during curfew hours (until 22h00).

Kubayi-Ngubane said that this curfew restriction extends to all establishments – including hotel bars – and that no alcohol may be sold to anyone after 22h00.

The minister also clarified misconceptions around limits on the number of people allowed in restaurants. She said that there is no directive on specific numbers – the emphasis is on space and capacity.

This means that space between tables needs to be in line with social distancing rules, and the number of people allowed in should be relative to a restaurant’s capacity with these limitations in place, she said.

Different restaurants have different capacities and carry different space, so a single number wouldn’t make sense. The limit of 50 people applies only to gatherings, such as weddings and conferences and events, etc.

The level 3 lockdown rules published at the end of June provide the rules that restaurants will have to adhere to as follows:

  • Restaurants, fast food outlets and coffee shops must keep a daily record of the full names, ID number or passport number, nationality, nature of position (i.e. temporary, casual or permanent), residential address, and cell phone numbers of all employees and delivery persons;
  • Ensure that every employee and delivery person is screened on arrival for shifts and on departing after shifts;
  • Provide employees with masks to wear and hand sanitiser;
  • Ensure that an area is demarcated for the collection of orders for delivery that is separate from the place where food is prepared;
  • Ensure that a contactless pickup zone for customers whose orders are ready to be collected is designated;
  • Sit-down restaurants must conduct a screening questionnaire and take precautionary measures to protect the person and other persons on the premises. Such measures may include denying such a person access to the premises;
  • Ensure that customers or guests wear masks at all times while they are on their premises except when eating or drinking;
  • Ensure that customers or guests queue at least one and a half meters apart behind each other or sideways;
  • Remove excess chairs /stools and tables or tables combined to enlarge the floor space while reducing and spreading seat capacity to enforce distancing of one and a half meters between guests or customers;
  • Consider a reservation system to manage demand, and help ensure that capacity limits are adhered to;
  • No buffets may be offered to guests for self -service;
  • Food may only be plated and/or provided in covered single portions;
  • Guests may pickup pre-portioned items and any other buffet service should be handled by food service employees only from behind Perspex or similar protective shields;
  • Menus must be replaced with non -touch options or sanitised after each guest use;
  • Where possible and for instance while taking orders, waiting staff must stand at least a meter from tables;
  • Where possible, tablecloths should be removed from tables. Only essential items such as salt and pepper, should remain on tables and be sanitised after each guest;
  • Remove excess chairs /stools and tables or tables combined to enlarge the floor space while reducing and spreading seat capacity to enforce distancing of one and a half meters between guests or customers;
  • Items on waiting stations must be minimised;
  • Clearing and cleaning systems with designated containers for different items and sealable refuse containers for food waste must be implemented and used.

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
,

Relocation Africa’s Wacky Wednesday Check Ins

By Joy Jackson, Relocation Africa’s HR Manager.

At Relocation Africa Head Office, we are big on check ins and prior to the onset of COVID19, we had a 7 minute daily morning check in with the team which proved to be very valuable. 

When we had to go into lockdown, which required working remotely, we had to find another way to connect as a team and Zoom became “our best friend” and we started off with bi-weekly check ins, but as the restrictions started lifting and we made a decision to come into the office twice a week from 1 June, our team check ins moved to once a week, and Wacky Wednesday was born.

I have carefully selected questions each week ranging from more serious topics to the really wacky ones and I have been using this time to get our team to connect again despite the upside down world that we find ourselves in.

Some of our check in questions have included the following:

  • If you won the lottery, (and the payout is in the millions) what’s the first thing you would buy / do and why?
  • Share one lesson that lockdown has “taught” you and what “one thing” are you going to change when lockdown is over
  • Without being modest, what do you value about yourself and what are your greatest strengths 
  • What is your favorite possession – please also provide a brief explanation as to why
  • Reflect on a challenge that you have overcome (personal or work related)
  • Share the challenge briefly, describe what you did to overcome it, and how did that change you / what lesson did you learn
  • You have to sing karaoke, what song do you pick?    

The karaoke check in highlighted that we have some very talented humming birds on our team, but more importantly every single one of us really lived up to our promise of embracing the unknown and were brave enough to sing on Zoom, which produced varying moments of humour (which was my intention, as laughter and fun is also important in a team).    

But there has been one check in question that has really stood head and shoulders out from the rest:  

If you could grab one superpower, which one would you pick and why?

Here are just a few of the superpowers that were revealed and chosen by our team:    

Invulnerability; The power to be immune from all forms of physical damage. It does not necessarily mean immortal but more of an enhanced durability. Since a child I have loved superheroes because their mission was to protect the innocent from evil. I wanted to become a lawyer because I desired to represent those who didn’t have the means to protect and represent themselves against evil injustice. 

My super power would be speed, I want love to speed up  the current situation we are in and move to a brighter better tomorrow

I chose a crystal ball as my super power – we currently in a world of VUCA – volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity and although in Africa we are more used to dealing with this type of environment, however I would like to be giving the staff, our stakeholders a sense of comfort and certainty going into the future and I thinking having that Crystal Ball Superpower I would be able to know what is in the future and clear out all the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity and give them a sense of certainty and comfort.  I do feel change is inevitable in the future and it is requiring us to build our resilience to both cope and start building our own accretion to be more versatile and understanding and be engaging with our stakeholders with care and kindness.

Shapeshifting is a power that allows someone to change themselves, on a cellular level, to shift into a different form. This could be in part, for example, just changing their clothing to match something they see, or changing their entire body to look like a completely different person.

Not only does this sound fun, but it also provides the ability to get out of tricky situations easily.  Also, it would provide a chance to escape for some peaceful time on my own, if I wanted that.

Furthermore, I like the idea of being able to show someone what they would look like doing something (similar to them looking in a mirror). For example, I could show someone lacking self confidence what they might look like giving a particular speech. I could have fun myself, and help others in that way.

I will probably choose the ability to fly and have always also been interested in learning to fly a small plane or helicopter.

I think we have all had dreams where we can fly and I certainly had these very often in my dream life even though sadly not in recent years.

I also attended a course on meditation and breathing some years ago where some of the mental exercises concentrating on freeing the mind from the body entailed first imagining yourself sitting on the ceiling of your room looking down on your body, this then evolved into exploring the rest of your house from your ceiling and eventually also your city using a mountain or hilltop as your vantage point – and I realised that this was entirely achievable and an amazing experience.

My chosen Superpower would be to be invisible as so much is requiring my attention right now, and I feel pretty depleted, so if I could disappear for a short while to be able to re-charge and then return with a full life battery and be 100% present and support those that need me. Whilst in invisible mode.

I would also like to be able to time travel into the future to catch a quick glimpse of the future to reassure myself and report back to others that we successfully overcome COVID19 and that the world has learned important and valuable lessons and changed for the better in this historic time. 

So, whilst what has happened during Relocation Africa’s Head Office check ins have not stayed with Relocation Africa, (what happens in Vegas has not stayed in Vegas) my hope is that you have gained some insight into our team dynamics and I challenge you to embrace the unknown with us, and share your chosen Superpower story with me by emailing: joy@relocationafrica.com

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].