NEWSLETTER ON THE REPATRIATION OF SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZENS

4 June 2020

#Repatriation

Over 7 100 South Africans have been repatriated to date.Hundreds more have crossed over land borders from neighbouring states.

Following the declaration of the State of Disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa, which saw South Africaimplementing the national lockdown on 26 March 2020, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation(DIRCO) has facilitated the repatriation of over 7 100 South Africans stranded abroad (by air). Hundreds more havealso returned through land borders.

The whole country was lowered from level 4 to level 3 with effect from 1 June 2020. Although this has resulted in the opening up of the economy and the removal of a number of restrictions on the movement of people, all the borders remain closed, except for the transportation of goods and repatriation of citizens.

Destitute, stranded and distressed South Africans in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Nigeria, Mauritius, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, the United States of America (USA) and Qatar were repatriated over the past few days.

1 May 2020A charter flight from Mali repatriated 19 South AfricansA CemAir charter flight from Harare repatriated 26 passengersAn Ethiopian Airlines charter repatriated 256 South Africans (Workaways)A private charter flight repatriated three South Africans from Madagascar

2 May 2020A private charter flight repatriated 19 South Africans from Mali

3 May 2020A SAA flight from Washington, USA, repatriated 275 South Africans A flight from Ethiopia repatriated 27 South Africans

4 May 2020A flight from Zambia repatriated 21 South Africans

7 May 2020A flight from Qatar repatriated 121 South Africans

8 May 2020A flight from Jeddah repatriated 165 South Africans A flight from Bangkok repatriated 235 South Africans A flight from St Helena repatriated one South African patientA flight from Guinea repatriated nine South AfricansA flight from Bali and Jakarta repatriated 134 South Africans

10 May 2020A flight from Washington repatriated 236 passengersA flight from Zambia repatriated 18 passengers

10 May 2020A flight from Washington repatriated 236 passengersA flight from Zambia repatriated 18 passengers

11 May 2020A flight from Windhoek, Namibia, repatriated 18 South Africans Another flight from Windhoek repatriated 26 South AfricansA flight from Zambia repatriated 21 South Africans

12 May 2020A private charter from Beira repatriated three South Africans A flight from Qatar repatriated 167 South Africans

13 May 2020A CemAir flight from the DRC (24), Angola (53) and Botswana (one) repatriated 78 South AfricansA charter flight from Equatorial Guinea repatriated nine South Africans

14 May 2020A charter flight from Pakistan repatriated 107 South Africans

16 May 2020A charter flight from Lubumbashi, DRC, repatriated 35 South Africans A Qatar Airways flight repatriated 236 South Africans from Doha

17 May 2020A special charter flight repatriated South Africans from five African countries, including Casablanca, Morocco (28); Nouakchot, Mauritania (12); Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (12); Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (19); and Pointe Noire, Congo Brazzaville (seven)

21 May 2020An Airlink flight from St Helena repatriated four South Africans A Qatar Airways flight repatriated 95 South AfricansA SAA flight from Washington repatriated 273 South Africans A private charter flight repatriated 61 passengers from Zambia

22 May 2020A flight from Zambia repatriated 16 passengersA flight from Turkey repatriated 61 passengers

23 May 2020A flight from Gabon repatriated 31 passengers

24 May 2020Two flights from Qatar repatriated 198 South AfricansA SAA flight from India repatriated 252 South Africans

25 May 2020A SAA flight from London repatriated 222 South Africans A flight from Tanzania repatriated 26 South Africans

27 May 2020A SAA flight from London repatriated 96 South Africans

29 May 2020A private charter flight from Windhoek repatriated 45 South AfricansA flight from Zimbabwe repatriated 13 South Africans

30 May 2020A flight from Lagos repatriated 76 South AfricansAn Air Mauritius flight repatriated 33 South AfricansA flight from Windhoek repatriated 41 South Africans

31 May 2020A flight from Malabo repatriated 24 South Africans

1 June 2020A flight from Sierra Leone repatriated 71 South Africans

2 June 2020A flight from Washington repatriated 163 South Africans A flight from Qatar repatriated 149 South Africans.

ARRIVALS FROM 1 MAY 2020

South Africans abroad requiring repatriation are encouraged to contact the South African embassies to enable the department to assess the demand in each country. You can also contact the 24-hour

DIRCO Command Centre on +27 12 351 1754 or +27 12 351 1756 or email Cicc1@dirco.gov.za or Cicc2@dirco.gov.za.

I write this article from my apartment in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. Like many of my ilk, and the general population, I am inlockdown, observing Covid-19 protocols as outlined by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

This is the same spot where I have been sitting since the beginning of lockdown in Nigeria on Monday 30 March 23:00 (22:00GMT). Since then, I have been working remotely, with intermittent visits to the office as the Nigerian government was courteousenough to grant movement permits to the diplomatic corps.

This was the first time in my career as a diplomat that I’ve had to embrace the idea of working from home. It was somethingforeign to me, an approach I have always resisted due to the architecture of my work. But under such volatile circumstances,one is left with two options: adapt or resist. I chose the former. In brief, the Covid-19 pandemic prevailed over my resistance.

This adaption brings into sharp focus a necessary reflection about the extent to which Covid-19 has potentially changed theconduct of our diplomatic work, a subject which is likely to occupy the minds of diplomats across the world. Inherently,diplomacy is an orthodox and often conventional profession, characterised by strict ritualistic practices.

Traditionally, the art of diplomacy lies in the ability of diplomats to engage each other in person – it is a contact profession. Thisis so because ours is a profession that requires both precision and circumspection. But Covid-19 has completely eroded thistraditional approach and revealed the often-overlooked utility of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) in the diplomaticworkspace.

As I worked remotely from my apartment, I mellowed at the magnitude of work I was able to accomplish. This was madepossible by what the Brookings Institute calls a function of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, theinternet of things and wireless technologies.

According to the institute, globally “the 4IR does not mean the end of development. It means a more innovative andexperimental journey for policymakers and governments, who will have to let go of detailed planning and be prepared to trythings, learn and adapt. The path to the future economy is there, but governments will have to take that first step.”

This pandemic has provided an opportunity for us to act swiftly, adapt and embrace an inevitable change in our lives. Inensuring business continuity at work, I remained preoccupied by the effect of Covid-19 at home. I never ceased to followdevelopments in my home country because mine is a life of a diplomat, marked by a double-edged sword. I spent much timereflecting on what is happening at home and agonised about the exponential increase in Covid-19 cases and the number offatalities.But I was also pleasantly elated by the increasing rate of recoveries – all thanks to efforts by our government to curb the spreadand, indeed, the selfless role played by healthcare workers who remained on the frontline when our people needed them themost. I salute my compatriots for their unflinching bravery.

Similarly, I also agonised about developments in my immediate environment in which I faced direct threat of infection. This is anatural reaction for a diplomat whose life is metaphorically marked by duality – a life in South Africa and a life in Nigeria. Beingaway from home during a period of such a lethal pandemic leaves one with a pain that cuts deep. But such is the life of adiplomat – to represent your country at all costs, defend it by all means, keep the flag flying high and remain steadfast in thefrontline when many have retreated.

In his article published in Daily Maverick of 25 May, South Africa’s ambassador to Brazil, Ntsiki Mashimbye articulated aptly onthe agony of being away from loved ones during this period of Covid-19: “The greatest cause of anxiety among diplomaticofficials, both in Brasilia and São Paulo, is the health of family and friends in South Africa, especially those with elderly andvulnerable parents and siblings.”

We in Abuja and Lagos are not immune from this sense of anxiety. Our true emotions we endure silently in our little corners,because giving up is not an option and staying the course represents the true character of a diplomat. When the Nigeriangovernment announced its first 14-day lockdown at the end of March, many South Africans could not return to South Africa.Though the announcement about closing the skies was made in good time, to allow a window period for travellers toreschedule travel, it coincided with travel dates of many South Africans who came to Nigeria on either short business trips or tovisit friends.

As the clock ticked and days passed, anxiety grew, and many were overcome by panic and uncertainty. They did not know if theywould get home soon. Some had exhausted their limited budget for daily subsistence and accommodation since these arelinked to the duration of stay on business trips. Those who visited friends had to extend their stays and reached out to theirfamilies to provide financial assistance for day-to-day expenses.

Another group of affected South Africans was not intending to be repatriated. They live in Nigeria with in-laws and arefinancially dependent on spouses who work in South Africa, some as priests and others as informal traders. These people nolonger had income and could not send money home to Nigeria for family upkeep.

Within a few days of the lockdown, the South African missions in Nigeria – in Abuja and Lagos – began the process of activatingcommunication with the Command Centre of the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) for assistance.Discussions about evacuation plans ensued and missions were advised to start compiling data of all South Africans who wishedto return home.

At this point, a WhatsApp group of South Africans in Nigeria was activated and a total of 119 South Africans, from differentstates in Nigeria, confirmed their wish to be repatriated. In order to facilitate their movements, the mission made contact withpolice commissioners in the respective states to issue road travel permits for passage to Lagos, the point of departure.

On 12 April, this group of South Africans converged on the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos to board a SouthAfrican Airways flight to South Africa. They were all subjected to a 14-day mandatory quarantine at home, but were joyful at theprospect of being reunited with families.

This entire experience was for me an emotional journey but, most remarkably, a reminder that, as diplomats, ours is a task ofserving and putting our right foot forward, even in the toughest of times. DM

Source: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2020-05-29-covid-19-chronicles-of-a-south-african-diplomat-in-nigeria/

As the world’s skies began to shut down, with the Covid-19 pandemic spreading, travellersabroad scrambled to get home and governments laid on repatriation flights. But for keydiplomats this wasn’t an option – they had to stay in place, at their stations.

SOCIAL MEDIA SAYS

CONTACT US Command Centre: +27 12 351 1754+27 12 351 1756

Cicc1@dirco.gov.za or Cicc2@dirco.gov.za