THE Zambian High Commission in South Africa has advised Zambians in that country wishing to travel back home to wait until the COVID-19-induced lockdown is lifted.

The 21-day lockdown in South Africa is expected to be reviewed on April 16, 2020.

Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Major General Jackson Miti has further urged Zambians whose visitor’s permits to that country have expired to urgently notify the Mission.

He said the Mission would engage South African Department of Home Affairs to ensure that affected Zambians were exempted from penalties once the lockdown was over.

This is according to a statement issued by the First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Zambian High Commission in South Africa, Naomi Nyawali, Wednesday.

Maj Gen Miti expressed concern that some Zambian citizens could not exit South Africa or renew their visitor’s permits due to the lockdown which was expected to last for 21 days.

He mentioned that the South African government had since indicated that foreigners whose visas would expire during the lockdown period would not be declared undesirable but allowed to leave the country once the movement ban was lifted.

Maj Gen Miti further said the affected Zambians who intended to submit their details to the Mission should make use of digital platforms as physical contacts with members of staff would not be possible.
South Africa has gone into a 21-day lockdown from March 27 to April 16, 2020 in a bid to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the country which had so far infected over 1,3pp people countrywide.