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
Before Closed-Loop Management, all passengers are required to consciously isolate themselves at home to minimize external contact, and monitor the health condition during the quarantine.

Step 2. First PCR test
On the 7th day before the flight (e.g. If the flight is on 18th May, the 7th day should be 11th May), 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. Closed-Loop Management (Centralized Quarantine)
On the 4th day before the flight(e.g.14th May), 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.
Hotel address: O.R.Tambo, International Airport, Jones Rd, Johannesburg,1627.

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 4. Tests during quarantine
Passengers are required to take a nucleic acid test on site at the hotel 2 days before departure (e.g. 16th May), and another nucleic acid test on the day of departure.
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 5. Application
5.1 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:

a)Passport info page, Chinese Visa or residence permit
b) Testing reports (only the test report on Monday is required, passengers are no longer required to take photos during the tests)
c) 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. 17th May). Consular districts of the missions are attached below.

QR Code for Application Program

The Embassy and Consulates General will issue green codes to the passengers based on the test results. The reports of the last nucleic acid tests done on the day of departure are not required to be uploaded.

5.2 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 nucleic acid 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 send the reports of the two 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. Upon receipt of the email of approval from the Embassy or Consulates General, passengers are eligible to take the 7th day test and step into the normal procedure.

5.3 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. During the 14-day self-isolation, nucleic acid tests need to be done respectively on the 1st, 4th and 7th day.

After the isolation, passengers should submit 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 take the 7th day test and step into the normal procedure.

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 on the day of departure during the Closed-Loop Management.

6. The Chinese Embassy and Consulates General reserve the right for the interpretation of this notice.All the requirements for applying the HDCs are subjected to further adjustments according to the pandemic situation.

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
                                                  23 May 2022