Tag Archive for: COVID-19

Andrew Stegmann

Our Interview with EuRA on Adapting to COVID-19 in South Africa

The European Relocation Association (EuRA) recently interviewed our MD, Rene Stegmann, remotely, to find out how we’re adapting as a business, and as individuals, to the COVID-19 situation in South Africa.

We thank EuRA for the opportunity to engage, and hope our community finds the interview informative. Feel free to view the video below.

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

SA Home Affairs Outlines Measures to Deal With Immigration

The Department of Home Affairs has outlined temporary measures that have been put in place to address immigration matters during the lock-down period.

The temporary measures were introduced after President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a National State of Disaster on 15 March and subsequently a national lockdown from 27 March, extended until the end of April 2020, to contain the spread of COVID-19.

These temporary measures will remain valid until 31 July 2020, unless extended officially by the department. They apply only to foreign nationals, who have been legally admitted into the country.

The visa concessions are contained in the Directions, which have been issued by the department in terms of the Disaster Management Act, 2002.

“Visa concessions listed below apply to those with visas that expired from 15 February 2020, unless a person has proof that he/she had already submitted an application for a visa extension prior to 15 February 2020 and the outcome is pending,” the department said.

Expiry of visas 

Holders of temporary residence visas, which expired from mid-February 2020, who did not renew their visas before the lockdown, will not be declared illegal or prohibited persons.

“Any person whose visa expired before or during the lockdown will not be arrested or detained for holding an expired visa. Those who opt to return to their countries of origin or residence after the lockdown, instead of renewing their visas, will not be declared undesirable upon departure,” the department said.

During the lockdown, the department is not receiving or adjudicating applications for visas and for permanent residence permits.

“Foreign nationals, whose visas expired after 15 February 2020, may reapply for their respective visas or relevant visa exemption while in the Republic, immediately after the lockdown has been lifted. They will not be required to apply for authorisation to remain in the country (Good Cause/Form 20),” the department said.

Foreign nationals, whose visas expired after 15 February 2020, who had scheduled appointments on dates which fall within the lockdown period, should reschedule their appointments to an available date after the lockdown has been lifted.

Work, study and business 

People whose visas expired during the lockdown and those who have submitted their applications before the lockdown but their applications are still pending will be allowed to work, study or conduct business after the lockdown while waiting for the outcome of their applications.

“Visas issued to nationals of high risk countries, who were outside the Republic on 15 March 2020, were revoked – as per the Directions issued by the department in terms of the Disaster Management Act, 2002. These visas remain revoked,” the department said.

During the lockdown, except for cases relating to expatriation initiated by another State, all foreign nationals, who are currently in South Africa, may not depart.

Holders of the Lesotho Special Permit have up to 15 June 2020 to submit their applications for the Lesotho Exemption Permit.

The Lesotho Special Permits, which expired on 31 December 2019, remain valid until 15 June 2020. No new applications will be taken.

“Any asylum seeker, whose visa expired from 16 March 2020 to the end of the lockdown period, will not be penalised or arrested, provided that they legalise their visa within 30 calendar days of the lockdown being lifted,” the department said.

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

South Africa’s Lock-down Extended by 2 Weeks

South Africa’s lockdown will be extended by an two extra weeks, president Cyril Ramaphosa has announced.

In an address to the nation on Thursday night (9 April), Ramaphosa said while it is still too early to gauge the real effect of the lockdown on the spread of the coronavirus in South Africa, initial data shows that it is definitely having an impact.

Notably, the rate of daily infections has slowed from 42% per day, to 4%. However, he warned that the country was still in early days of the outbreak, and harder times were still to come.

“After careful consideration of the available evidence, the National Coronavirus Command Council has decided to extend the nation-wide lockdown by a further two week beyond the initial 21 days,” the president said.

“This means that most of the existing measures will remain in force until the end of April.”

“If we end the lockdown too soon or too abruptly, we risk an uncontrollable resurgence of the disease. We risk undoing the work done during the last few weeks,” he said.

“I have to ask you to bear these hard times for a little longer.”

The lockdown was initially expected to end on 16 April, but the end date has now been moved to the end of the month.

During this time, Ramaphosa said that testing and screening will be ramped up, and healthcare would take top priority. Most of the regulations and measures already in effect, will remain, he said.

Ramaphosa first declared the coronavirus pandemic a national disaster on 15 March, and announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown a few days later on 23 March.

While the lockdown was initially planned for 21 days, or three weeks, warnings have been coming in across different sectors that it would likely be extended.

Netcare – the country’s largest healthcare provider – previously warned that the lockdown could be extended to the end of May; while preliminary research by Boston Consulting Group pointed to various scenarios, some of which saw the lockdown extended for two to four months, depending on many variables.

Lockdowns have been extended in every country that implemented them, and have proven to be effective in stopping the spread of the virus.

However, South Africa is in a particularly volatile situation with the lockdown, as its economy – which recently lost its only remaining investment grade rating by Moody’s – can ill-afford a wide-reaching shutdown in production.

“I am keenly aware of the impact this will have on our economy,” the president said. “But I know, as you do, that unless we take these difficult measures now, unless we hold to this course for a little longer, the coronavirus pandemic will engulf, and ultimately consume, our country.

“We all want the economy to come back to life, we want people to return to work, we want our children to go back to school, and we all want to be able to move freely again,” Ramaphosa said.

While the banks, financiers and billionaires have put forward funding to assist struggling businesses and employees during this time, the longer the lockdown is in effect, the worse the situation becomes for workers.

According to the South African Reserve Bank’s estimates, over 370,000 people are expected to be jobless after three weeks – while economists are more bearish on the situation, pointing to 1 million jobs lost, or 1.6 million in an extended lockdown scenario.

Intellidex analyst, Peter Attard Montalto said that in a three-week lockdown, South Africa’s funding shortfall would be R119 billion. In a nine-week lockdown, this would escalate to around R350 billion.

Economic impact aside, Ramaphosa made it clear that the alternative would be worse for the country – having the virus rapidly spread among the population, crippling the healthcare system in the process, would be a catastrophe.

“Our decision to institute a nationwide lockdown was the correct one,” he said.

“We will use the coming days to evaluate how we will embark on risk-adjusted measures that can enable a phased recovery of the economy, allowing the return to operation of certain sectors under strictly controlled conditions.”

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

South Africa Begins Massive Coronavirus Testing Drive

Government will in the coming days roll out a large-scale screening, testing, tracing and a medical management programme, to manage the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

“We are now entering a new phase in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 10,000 field workers will be visiting homes in villages, towns and cities to screen residents for COVID-19 symptoms,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said.

The President was addressing the nation, after recently declaring the National State of Disaster to combat the pandemic. His address comes as South Africa went into a nation-wide lockdown for the first time in the history of its democracy on Thursday March 26th, at midnight.

“People with symptoms will be referred to local clinics or mobile clinics for testing. People who are infected with Coronavirus, but who have no or moderate symptoms will remain in isolation at home or at a facility provided by government and those with severe symptoms will be transferred to hospitals,” the president said.

“Using mobile technology, an extensive tracing system will be rapidly deployed to trace those who have been in contact with confirmed Coronavirus cases and to monitor the geographical location of new cases in real time,” the President said.

The number of infections continues to grow as there are now 1,326 confirmed Coronavirus cases in South Africa.

“As a nation, we were deeply saddened to learn that, in the last few days, three South Africans have died from the disease. We convey our sympathies and condolences to their families and friends and to their communities,” the president said.

South Africans urged to stay home

President Ramaphosa reiterated his call to South African to stay at home during the lock-down period.

“Leave your home only if you need to get food and essential provisions, collect a social grant, buy medicine or get urgent medical care.

“The only people who can go to work are health workers, security and emergency personnel, those who work to keep our people supplied with food, medicine and basic goods and other providers of essential services as defined in the regulations,” he said.

The president said people who do go out should do everything they can not to get infected and not to infect anyone else.

“Some people may think this disease is something that doesn’t concern them and will never affect them. That it is something they only read about in newspapers or see reports about on TV.

“But it is very real, and it poses a great danger to every one of us and to our society. Let us not make the mistake of thinking this is somebody else’s problem. Every time you violate the regulations the government has issued or try to get around the rules, you are putting yourself and others at risk, and helping the virus to spread,” the president said.

Reaction to Moody’ decision to downgrade SA

The president noted that the pandemic is happening at a time when the country’s economy is under great strain.

Rating agency Moody’s recently downgraded South Africa to a sub-investment grade.

He assured South Africans that this development will not diminish in any way the country’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic.

“We are pushing ahead to implement the necessary health interventions and economic and social measures to contain the spread of the disease and alleviate its effects on our people.

“Within the constraints of the current crisis, we remain committed to implementing structural economic reforms to address weak economic growth, constrained public finances and struggling state-owned enterprises,” the president said.

Government is working together with its social partners to identify further measures that South Africa can take to limit the damage to the economy.

“Even as our country faces deep and pressing challenges on several fronts, there is no doubt in my mind that we will prevail.

“That is because South Africans have come together like never before to wage this struggle against this virus. Many businesses and individuals are making financial and other contributions to this cause,” the President said.

The president thanked the many businesses and individuals who are making financial and other contributions to this cause.

A nation pulling together

In addition to the financial pledges announced last week, the President welcomed the contribution by the Motsepe Foundation of R1 billion and by Naspers of R1.5 billion to the Coronavirus response.

“We are also extremely grateful to Mr Jack Ma, the founder of the China-based company Alibaba, who has donated vital medical supplies to South Africa and other countries across Africa.”

In a moving tribute, president Ramaphosa thanked the nurses, doctors and other health workers, social workers and frontline government staff, volunteers and NGOs who are leading the fight against the disease.

He thanked the 18,000 security personnel, drawn from the police, defence force, metro police and other entities, that are responsible for ensuring our safety.

“And then there is each of you, the 58 million South African citizens and residents who are standing together as one in confronting this national health emergency. Among us are the men and women who rise at dawn every day, and labour through the night to keep this country going.

“I speak of the farmworker who is helping to keep us supplied with food. I speak of the technician in the power station working shift after shift to keep the lights on. I speak of the caregiver in the old-age home, the childcare home and the hospice, who comes in every day to tend to the most vulnerable of our citizens.

“To the taxi driver, the refuse collector, the supermarket cashier, the hospital cleaner, the petrol attendant and all those essential services workers, you are our unsung heroes, and we salute you,” said the president.

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].