COVID-19: 200 SA repatriates expected back from the US on Sunday

South Africa has repatriated another 200 of its citizens from COVID-19 hotspot, the United States.

The US is the only country in the world to have registered over a million confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and accounts for over 67 000 of the plus-240 000 deaths from the virus worldwide.

South Africans expected back from the United States

A South African Airways (SAA) flight carrying the repatriates is expected to land at OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday.

According to South African Ambassador to the United States, NomaIndia Mfeketho, a total of 1 000 citizens are due back from North America.

“The first flight will have 275 and leaves today (SA), the second will have the same number and the third flight will be more than that because it will also include South Africans in nearby countries like Canada and other countries.”

NomaIndia Mfeketho, SA Ambassador to the United States

She added;

“Chicago, LA and New York are part of the 1 000, it’s only the third flight that will include people from other areas.”

NomaIndia Mfeketho, SA Ambassador to the United States

Mfeketho explained the repatriation process, which included strict verification to establish that the people being sent back home were South African citizens who went to the US for a particular business.

South Africa has repatriated citizens from several territories since the pandemic broke out, these include China, where a group of SA citizens, mainly students landed back in the country in March.

“People were caught up in this situation because of the borders that were closed as a result of the coronavirus. Now, at home when people came to the mission saying they are destitute, desperate, they want to go home, we put them on the list. We had to work with the head office, especially at Dirco, where we look critically if these people are really South Africans.”

NomaIndia Mfeketho, SA Ambassador to the United States

South Africa has recorded 6 336 cases of the coronavirus, with the death toll now at 123.