Four more airports have been opened for domestic travel under eased COVID-19 lockdown Level 2 restrictions. This was announced by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula at a press conference held on Tuesday.
The new regulations and directions follow President Cyril Ramaphosa’s pronouncement of opening the economy and moving to Level 2 of the government’s risk-adjusted approach.
Mbalula said: “Air travel is crucial to our efforts to gradually resume economic activity. In reopening our airspace, we have put protocols in place to determine the state of readiness for our airports to resume operations in a phased manner.”
The process will be managed by the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure compliance with safety and health measures.
The four airports are:
- Mthatha Airport in the Eastern Cape
- Hoedspruit Airport in Limpopo
- Phalaborwa Airport in Limpopo
- Margate Airport in KwaZulu-Natal
Fourteen other airports were opened for domestic travel in July. They are:
- Bram Fischer International Airport
- Cape Town International Airport
- East London Airport
- George Airport
- Kimberly Airport
- King Shaka International Airport
- Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport
- Lanseria International Airport
- OR Tambo International Airport
- Pietermaritzburg Airport
- Port Elizabeth International Airport
- Richards Bay Airport
- Skukuza Airport
- Upington International Airport
International air travel for leisure remains prohibited in Alert Level 2.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula announces new COVID-19 regulations related to the sector:
![[File] Inland provinces can expect icy winds and isolated rain, with temperatures in the Mpumalanga Lowveld have plummeted from a summer-like 30 degrees to 19 degrees.](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/SABC-News-stormy-weatherR.jpg)
