Source: https://www.republikein.com.na/nuus/chaos-by-grensposte2020-10-12/
Chaos at border posts
Chaos reigned at the border posts of Noordoewer and Ariamsvlei over the weekend with tourists being turned away.
The Minister of Health and Social Services, dr. Kalumbi Shangula, confirmed to Republikein yesterday afternoon that no foreign tourists can enter Namibia via border posts by road.
"Tourists can only enter Namibia via Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA) and Walvis Bay Airport," Shangula emphasized.
The executive director of home affairs, immigration, security and security, mr. Etienne Maritz, earlier yesterday had a meeting with the ministries of health and social services and the environment, forestry and tourism.
He told Republikein after the meeting that tourists are not allowed at the roadside posts, "but this is a recommendation from the health ministry".
The issue seems to be that the road border posts do not have sufficient capacity for testing facilities.
The Intercape bus service in South Africa also confirmed by telephone to Republikein yesterday that the border posts of Noordoewer and Ariamsvlei have been closed.
Meanwhile, a tourist who entered the country on October 2 with a valid negative Covid-19 test done on September 30, tested positive on his fifth day in Namibia at Outjo, according to the health ministry.
According to Mr. Karl Stumpfe of Ndumo Safaris is a South African father and son of the tourists who could still get through Noordoewer on Friday with an Intercape bus, but not without drama.
The father wrote in a WhatsApp message: "We are now going through a few wars of which the Second World War was the smallest.
"I've been driving the Sleepliner for 27 hours now. Started with 60 on the bus now only 10. In the 7.5 hours at the border post and a lot of fighting, 30 people were sent back to Cape Town. ”
He says the other 20 were placed under quarantine at Lüderitz and Karasburg.
"At Mariental, the police chase us in with sirens and say there are four people on board whose papers are not ready. After all the brass from the town are there, they fight among themselves and let us finally go, ”the hunter writes.
Stumpfe said on Monday that they had finally arrived safely in Windhoek and flew to Katima Mulilo on Monday for their hunt at Ndumo Safaris in the Zambezi region.
He says he has many discussions of South African hunters, "but they would rather fly in now".
Qatar Airways
Another blow hit the tourism industry last week when Qatar Airways canceled its flights to and from Windhoek.
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways' chief spokesman, Mr. According to Abdulla Jassmi, in a media statement, the airline's cancellation of flights to Namibia.
"Similar to other airlines worldwide, the Covid-19 pandemic has created significant operational challenges for Qatar Airways," Jassmi said.
He says while the airline is trying to operate as many flights as possible, many routes remain commercially unsustainable due to the huge decline in global demand for air travel.
"After careful consideration, we made the decision to suspend the Windhoek route for 2020," Jassmi explained.
He says all affected passengers have been advised to consider alternative travel options to other destinations or get a refund according to their travel policy.
"We understand it is important for many of our passengers to have access to flights. Review is ongoing and our intention is to reinstate all flights according to general conditions and market demand, ”said Jassmi.
The original version in Afrikaans below:
Chaos by grensposte
Chaos het die naweek by die grensposte van Noordoewer en Ariamsvlei geheers met toeriste wat weggewys is.
Die minister van gesondheid en maatskaplike dienste, dr. Kalumbi Shangula, het gisternamiddag aan Republikein bevestig geen buitelandse toeriste kan Namibië via grensposte padlangs binnekom nie.
“Toeriste kan slegs Namibië via die Internasionale Lughawe Hosea Kutako (HKIA) en Walvisbaai-lughawe binnekom,” het Shangula beklemtoon.
Die uitvoerende direkteur van binnelandse sake, immigrasie, veiligheid en sekuriteit, mnr. Etienne Maritz, het vroeër gister ‘n vergadering met die ministeries van gesondheid en maatskaplike dienste en die omgewing, bosbou en toerisme gehad.
Hy het ná die vergadering aan Republikein gesê toeriste word nie by die padgrensposte toegelaat nie, “maar dit is ’n aanbeveling van die gesondheidsministerie”.
Die kwessie blyk die padgrensposte het nie voldoende kapasiteit vir toetsfasiliteite nie.
Die Intercape-busdiens in Suid-Afrika het ook gister telefonies aan Republikein bevestig dat die grensposte van Noordoewer en Ariamsvlei gesluit is.
Intussen het 'n toeris wat op 2 Oktober die land met ’n geldige negatiewe Covid-19-toets ingekom het wat op 30 September gedoen is, op sy vyfde dag in Namibië by Outjo volgens die gesondheidsministerie positief getoets.
Volgens mnr. Karl Stumpfe van Ndumo Safaris is ’n Suid-Afrikaanse pa en seun van die toeriste wat Vrydag nog by Noordoewer met ’n Intercape-bus kon deurkom, maar nie sonder drama nie.
Die pa skryf in ’n WhatsApp-boodskap: “Ons nou deur ’n paar oorloë waarvan die Tweede Wêreldoorlog die kleinste was.
“Ry nou al 27 uur met die Sleepliner. Het begin met 60 op die bus nou net 10. In die 7,5 ure by die grenspos en baie baklei, is 30 mense teruggestuur Kaapstad toe.”
Hy sê die ander 20 is onder kwarantyn by Lüderitz en Karasburg geplaas.
“By Mariental jaag die polisie ons in met sirenes en sê daar is vier mense aan boord wie se papiere nie reg is nie. Nadat al die brass van die dorp daar is, stry hulle onder mekaar en laat ons uiteindelik gaan,” skryf die jagter.
Stumpfe het gister gesê hulle het darem uiteindelik veilig in Windhoek aangekom en het gister Katima Mulilo toe gevlieg vir hul jagtog by Ndumo Safaris in die Zambezistreek.
Hy sê hy het baie besprekings van Suid-Afrikaanse jagters, “maar hulle gaan nou maar liewer invlieg”.
Qatar Airways
Nóg ‘n slag het verlede week die toerismebedryf getref toe Qatar Airways hul vlugte na en van Windhoek gekanselleer het.
Intussen het Qatar Airways se hoofwoordvoerder, mnr. Noor Abdulla Jassmi, in ’n mediaverklaring die lugredery se kansellasie van vlugte na Namibië herbevestig.
“Soortgelyk aan ander lugredery wêreldwyd, het die Covid-19-pandemie aansienlike operasionale uitdagings vir Qatar Airways geskep,” het Jassmi gesê.
Hy sê terwyl die lugredery probeer om so veel as moontlik vlugte te bedryf, bly baie roetes kommersieel nie lewensvatbaar nie weens die reuse-afname in die wêreldwye aanvraag na lugreis.
“Ná deeglike oorweging het ons die besluit geneem om die Windhoek-roete vir 2020 op te skort,” het Jassmi verduidelik.
Hy sê alle geraakte passasiers is aanbeveel om alternatiewe reisopsies na ander bestemmings te oorweeg of terugbetaling volgens hul reisbeleid te kry.
“Ons verstaan dit is belangrik vir baie van ons passasiers om toegang tot vlugte te kry. Hersiening duur voort en ons bedoeling is om alle vlugte weer volgens algemene toestande en markaanvraag in te stel,” het Jassmi gesê.
Chaos at border posts
Chaos reigned at the border posts of Noordoewer and Ariamsvlei over the weekend with tourists being turned away.
The Minister of Health and Social Services, dr. Kalumbi Shangula, confirmed to Republikein yesterday afternoon that no foreign tourists can enter Namibia via border posts by road.
"Tourists can only enter Namibia via Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA) and Walvis Bay Airport," Shangula emphasized.
The executive director of home affairs, immigration, security and security, mr. Etienne Maritz, earlier yesterday had a meeting with the ministries of health and social services and the environment, forestry and tourism.
He told Republikein after the meeting that tourists are not allowed at the roadside posts, "but this is a recommendation from the health ministry".
The issue seems to be that the road border posts do not have sufficient capacity for testing facilities.
The Intercape bus service in South Africa also confirmed by telephone to Republikein yesterday that the border posts of Noordoewer and Ariamsvlei have been closed.
Meanwhile, a tourist who entered the country on October 2 with a valid negative Covid-19 test done on September 30, tested positive on his fifth day in Namibia at Outjo, according to the health ministry.
According to Mr. Karl Stumpfe of Ndumo Safaris is a South African father and son of the tourists who could still get through Noordoewer on Friday with an Intercape bus, but not without drama.
The father wrote in a WhatsApp message: "We are now going through a few wars of which the Second World War was the smallest.
"I've been driving the Sleepliner for 27 hours now. Started with 60 on the bus now only 10. In the 7.5 hours at the border post and a lot of fighting, 30 people were sent back to Cape Town. ”
He says the other 20 were placed under quarantine at Lüderitz and Karasburg.
"At Mariental, the police chase us in with sirens and say there are four people on board whose papers are not ready. After all the brass from the town are there, they fight among themselves and let us finally go, ”the hunter writes.
Stumpfe said on Monday that they had finally arrived safely in Windhoek and flew to Katima Mulilo on Monday for their hunt at Ndumo Safaris in the Zambezi region.
He says he has many discussions of South African hunters, "but they would rather fly in now".
Qatar Airways
Another blow hit the tourism industry last week when Qatar Airways canceled its flights to and from Windhoek.
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways' chief spokesman, Mr. According to Abdulla Jassmi, in a media statement, the airline's cancellation of flights to Namibia.
"Similar to other airlines worldwide, the Covid-19 pandemic has created significant operational challenges for Qatar Airways," Jassmi said.
He says while the airline is trying to operate as many flights as possible, many routes remain commercially unsustainable due to the huge decline in global demand for air travel.
"After careful consideration, we made the decision to suspend the Windhoek route for 2020," Jassmi explained.
He says all affected passengers have been advised to consider alternative travel options to other destinations or get a refund according to their travel policy.
"We understand it is important for many of our passengers to have access to flights. Review is ongoing and our intention is to reinstate all flights according to general conditions and market demand, ”said Jassmi.
The original version in Afrikaans below:
Chaos by grensposte
Chaos het die naweek by die grensposte van Noordoewer en Ariamsvlei geheers met toeriste wat weggewys is.
Die minister van gesondheid en maatskaplike dienste, dr. Kalumbi Shangula, het gisternamiddag aan Republikein bevestig geen buitelandse toeriste kan Namibië via grensposte padlangs binnekom nie.
“Toeriste kan slegs Namibië via die Internasionale Lughawe Hosea Kutako (HKIA) en Walvisbaai-lughawe binnekom,” het Shangula beklemtoon.
Die uitvoerende direkteur van binnelandse sake, immigrasie, veiligheid en sekuriteit, mnr. Etienne Maritz, het vroeër gister ‘n vergadering met die ministeries van gesondheid en maatskaplike dienste en die omgewing, bosbou en toerisme gehad.
Hy het ná die vergadering aan Republikein gesê toeriste word nie by die padgrensposte toegelaat nie, “maar dit is ’n aanbeveling van die gesondheidsministerie”.
Die kwessie blyk die padgrensposte het nie voldoende kapasiteit vir toetsfasiliteite nie.
Die Intercape-busdiens in Suid-Afrika het ook gister telefonies aan Republikein bevestig dat die grensposte van Noordoewer en Ariamsvlei gesluit is.
Intussen het 'n toeris wat op 2 Oktober die land met ’n geldige negatiewe Covid-19-toets ingekom het wat op 30 September gedoen is, op sy vyfde dag in Namibië by Outjo volgens die gesondheidsministerie positief getoets.
Volgens mnr. Karl Stumpfe van Ndumo Safaris is ’n Suid-Afrikaanse pa en seun van die toeriste wat Vrydag nog by Noordoewer met ’n Intercape-bus kon deurkom, maar nie sonder drama nie.
Die pa skryf in ’n WhatsApp-boodskap: “Ons nou deur ’n paar oorloë waarvan die Tweede Wêreldoorlog die kleinste was.
“Ry nou al 27 uur met die Sleepliner. Het begin met 60 op die bus nou net 10. In die 7,5 ure by die grenspos en baie baklei, is 30 mense teruggestuur Kaapstad toe.”
Hy sê die ander 20 is onder kwarantyn by Lüderitz en Karasburg geplaas.
“By Mariental jaag die polisie ons in met sirenes en sê daar is vier mense aan boord wie se papiere nie reg is nie. Nadat al die brass van die dorp daar is, stry hulle onder mekaar en laat ons uiteindelik gaan,” skryf die jagter.
Stumpfe het gister gesê hulle het darem uiteindelik veilig in Windhoek aangekom en het gister Katima Mulilo toe gevlieg vir hul jagtog by Ndumo Safaris in die Zambezistreek.
Hy sê hy het baie besprekings van Suid-Afrikaanse jagters, “maar hulle gaan nou maar liewer invlieg”.
Qatar Airways
Nóg ‘n slag het verlede week die toerismebedryf getref toe Qatar Airways hul vlugte na en van Windhoek gekanselleer het.
Intussen het Qatar Airways se hoofwoordvoerder, mnr. Noor Abdulla Jassmi, in ’n mediaverklaring die lugredery se kansellasie van vlugte na Namibië herbevestig.
“Soortgelyk aan ander lugredery wêreldwyd, het die Covid-19-pandemie aansienlike operasionale uitdagings vir Qatar Airways geskep,” het Jassmi gesê.
Hy sê terwyl die lugredery probeer om so veel as moontlik vlugte te bedryf, bly baie roetes kommersieel nie lewensvatbaar nie weens die reuse-afname in die wêreldwye aanvraag na lugreis.
“Ná deeglike oorweging het ons die besluit geneem om die Windhoek-roete vir 2020 op te skort,” het Jassmi verduidelik.
Hy sê alle geraakte passasiers is aanbeveel om alternatiewe reisopsies na ander bestemmings te oorweeg of terugbetaling volgens hul reisbeleid te kry.
“Ons verstaan dit is belangrik vir baie van ons passasiers om toegang tot vlugte te kry. Hersiening duur voort en ons bedoeling is om alle vlugte weer volgens algemene toestande en markaanvraag in te stel,” het Jassmi gesê.
