In order to effectively curb cross-border transmission of COVID-19 and ensure smooth and orderly people-to-people exchanges between South Africa and China, all China-bound passengers are subjected to a  Closed-Loop Management (Centralized Quarantine) before departure. Detailed procedures and requirements are as follows:

Step 1. Self-Isolation
All passengers are required to be self-isolated for 14 days before the flight(e.g, if the flight is on 15th September, self-isolation should be started on 1st September.), during which a Personal Health Monitoring Form(attached) should be filled out on a daily basis.

Step 2. First PCR test
On the 14th day before the flight (e.g. 1st September), the first nucleic acid test (All nucleic acid tests referred to in this notice shall be conducted with a Nasal swab or Nasopharyngeal swab sample, any other method of sampling, e.g. oropharyngeal swab, shall not be qualified) should be done at one lab of Pathcare、Ampath or Lancet.

Step 3. Second PCR test
A second nucleic acid test should be done on the 7th day before the flight(e.g. 8th September), but at a different lab from the first test among the three labs.

NOTE:
1. Vaccinated passengers are required to complete all the doses of vaccines for over 14 days to be eligible to apply for the HDCs.
2. Those who have not been vaccinated in accordance with the standard procedure, or took two doses of vaccine on the same day, are deemed as unvaccinated.

Step 4.Closed-Loop Management (Centralized Quarantine)
On the 4th day before the flight(e.g.11th September), passengers who have completed self-isolation and tested negative are eligible to check into the Southern Sun O.R. Tambo International Airport Hotel in Johannesburg , and are subject to a 5-day and 4-night "closed-loop" management till the day of departure.

To avoid cross infections, passengers will be separated into different batches to check in at a particular period of time. (For check-in procedures, expenses and etc., please contact the designated service provider ZBHA SOUTH AFRICA GROUP (PTY) LTD. )

Step 5. Tests during quarantine
5.1 Those who are not fully vaccinated are required to take an IgM antibody test on site at the hotel 2 days before departure (e.g.13th September), and a nucleic acid test on the day of departure.

5.2 Those who have completed vaccination and children under 3 years old, are required to take two nucleic acid tests on site at the hotel, one two days before departure, and the other one on the day of departure.

5.3 During the Closed-loop Management, ZBHA SOUTH AFRICA GROUP will organize and arrange the designated labs to carry out the tests. Passengers who have passed all the tests and finished the Close-loop Quarantine will be sent to the airport by ZBHA.

Step 6. Application
6.1 After receiving the report of the test done two days before departure, passengers are required to log in the application program at https://hrhk.cs.mfa.gov.cn/H5/  or scan the QR code below, and upload the following documents to the program:

QR Code for Application Program

a) Passport info page, Chinese Visa or residence permit
b) Testing reports (2 nucleic acid tests and one IgM antibody test, or 3 nucleic acid tests)
c) 14-day Personal Health Monitoring Form(attached)
d) Proof of vaccination and Letter of Commitment on Covid-19 Vaccination(attached, only for those fully vaccinated )
e) email of approval from the Embassy or Consulates General(for those who have been diagnosed or tested positive, or had close contact and suspected symptoms of COVID-19 )

Documents need to be uploaded to the Embassy or Consulates General in Durban, Cape Town or Johannesburg, according to the consular district of the sample collecting site of the first test (Step 2), before 0900h on the previous day before departure (e.g. 14th September). Consular districts of the missions are attached below.

QR Code for Application Program

6.2 Application by those who have been diagnosed or tested positive of COVID-19
Those who have been diagnosed or tested positive of COVID-19 should provide two negative reports of PCR tests (at least 24 hours between the two tests, done at two different labs among Pathcare, Ampath and Lancet) to be regarded as recovered.

Three months after recovery, passengers are required to take another two nucleic acid tests (done at two different labs, on any two days between the 20th day to the 15th day before departure). If negative, send all of the reports of the four times by e-mail for a pre-check to the Embassy or Consulates General in Durban, Cape Town, and Johannesburg (the consular districts are attached) according to the sample collecting site.

In the mean time, passengers are advised to start a 14-day self-isolation before departure and fill in the Personal Health Monitoring Form.

Upon receipt of the email of approval from the Embassy or Consulates General, the passenger is eligible to step into the following procedure (Step 3,4 and 5).

6.3 Application by those with close contact and suspected symptoms of COVID-19
Passengers who have close contact with confirmed or suspected cases or have suspected symptoms of COVID-19, need to go through a 14-day self-isolation and fill out the Personal Health Monitoring Form on a daily basis. During the 14-day self-isolation, nucleic acid tests need to be done respectively on the 1st, 4th and 7th day.

After the 14-day self-isolation, passengers should submit the Personal Health Monitoring Form and the 3 reports of nucleic acid tests to the Embassy or Consulates General in Durban, Cape Town, and Johannesburg (the consular districts are attached) according to the sample collecting site of the tests.

Upon receipt of the email of approval from the Embassy or Consulate General, the passenger is eligible to step into the following procedure (Step 4 and 5).

Important Reminders
1.As of now, China-bound passengers from a third country or region are not accepted to transit in South Africa. The Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in South Africa will not issue Health Declaration Codes as requested. Please adjust the travel plan to avoid any possible loss.

2.A self-declaration form to comply with the Ts & Cs of the Closed-loop Management will be served upon check-in at the hotel. Those who don’t sign or fail to cope with the requirements will be disqualified to take the flight.

3.All the expenses incurred during the Closed-loop Management, including accommodation, meals, transportation, testing and etc., shall be covered by the passengers themselves.

4. As the viral load of an individual may fluctuate at different times of the period, the designated labs are only responsible for the results of the samples collected. The Embassy and Consulates General will only issue HDCs to those with negative test results, and will not accept any re-test requirements or results.

5. In addition to Pathcare, Ampath and Lancet, AKILI LABS (BGI collaborative laboratory) is also accepted as a designated lab to conduct the tests within 12 hours before boarding during the closed-loop management period.

6. The Chinese Embassy and Consulates General reserve the right for the interpretation of this notice.

Consular District of the Embassy and Consulate-Generals and the relevant information
1.Consular district of Chinese Embassy includes Pretoria, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West provinces, and Eswatini.
Email address of Chinese Embassy: nflssf2@gmail.com
Phone Number: 0027-123428826, 0027-124316537
2.Consular district of Chinese Consulate-General in Johannesburg includes Gauteng (excl. Pretoria) and Free State.
Email address of Chinese Consulate-General in Johannesburg: ccgjhb1@gmail.com
Phone Number: 0027-100100708
3.Consular district of Chinese Consulate-General in Cape Town includes Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape provinces.
Email address of Chinese Consulate-General in Cape Town: kaipudunjiankangma@gmail.com
Phone Number: 0027-723096634
4.Consular district of Chinese Consulate-General in Durban includes KwaZulu-Natal.
Email address of Chinese Consulate-General in Durban: chinaconsul. db@gmail.com
Phone Number: 0027-315634731
5.AIR CHINA LIMITED JOHANNESBURG OFFICE
Phone Number:0027-110814100
6.ZBHA SOUTH AFRICA GROUP (PTY) LTD
Phone Number:0027-619282298

                                               The Chinese Embassy in South Africa
                                                         22 April 2022

Appendix:

Letter of Commitment on Covid-19 Vaccination .pdf

Personal Health Monitoring Form.docx