Cape Town – The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has reportedly called on the United Kingdom (UK) to compensate the country for the money lost as a result of the recent travel ban.
Last month, the UK placed a travel ban on a number of African countries deemed at high risk from the new Covid-19 strain, Omicron, which was allegedly first identified in South Africa.
The ban drew controversy with some countries, including South Africa labeling the move as unscientific and apartheid-like.
According to EWN, many people had to postpone their travels and holiday plans, causing economic damage to the tourism sector.
ALSO READ: UK drops 11 African countries, including SA from its travel ‘red list’
On Tuesday, the UK removed South Africa and 10 other countries from its “red list” of travel restrictions, on the grounds that the restrictions were “now less effective in slowing the incursion of Omicron from abroad”.
Although Dirco welcomed the decision, it noted that it was a little too late because the economic damage had already been felt.
“I think the first [thing] we need to say is that we welcome this decision to remove South Africa and the other African countries from the red list [but] it shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
“So the next conversation we would like with them is that are you going to compensate us, because it has now been proven that this decision was wrong and wasn’t based on science,” The Citizen quoted Dirco spokesperson Clayson Monyela as saying.
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Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
