By Kaya 959 News
A London-based PR firm has set up a petition calling on the UK government to remove South Africa from its “red list”.
Set up by Ben Cope of Eterna Partners, the petition has already amassed more than 14 000 signatures.
According to the UK Parliament, once a petition has 10 000 signatures, the government and Parliament will have to respond. Furthermore, the petition will be considered for a Parliamentary debate.
Earlier this year, the UK created a “traffic-light” system that placed countries into categories; green, amber and red.
These lists are regularly updated but it gives insight into which citizens can travel to which countries.
Travellers from green-listed countries can visit the UK without the need of quarantine. Those on the amber-listed countries allow travellers who are fully vaccinated to travel and they, too, do not have to quarantine.
READ: US adds SA to travel ban, this is why
Travel disruptions
South African travellers have been barred from travelling to the UK for nearly eight months. This has dealt a major blow to those who travel between the two countries for business and leisure.
SA travellers have been banned from travelling to a number of countries due to the COVID-19 Beta variant which was discovered in the country last year.
Currently, the country has 2 554 240 confirmed COVID-19 cases with a death toll of 75 774.
As of today the cumulative number of #COVID19 cases identified in SA is 2 554 240 with 7 502 new cases reported. Today 573 deaths have been reported bringing the total to 75 774 deaths. The cumulative number of recoveries now stand at 2 337 591 with a recovery rate of 91,5% pic.twitter.com/1y8qRePMhX
— Department of Health (@HealthZA) August 11, 2021
South Africans cannot travel to the United Arab Emirates, Madagascar and Libya, most parts of Europe, South and North America and Asia.
The Southern Africa Tourism Services Association is fighting for SA to be removed from the UK’s red list.
The organisation’s David Frost, said it is incumbent on Satsa to move swiftly and present a data-driven and scientific case to the UK’s decision makers.
Satsa is hopeful that travel will be allowed between the SA and the UK by October.
READ: Anti-liquor organisations concerned about alcohol sales at petrol stations
