One of the shock decisions by the Government during the State of Disaster during the Corona Virus Lockdown has been to make it illegal to export South African wines, and to transport wines from wine estates to the ports, just nine days after exports were allowed, and despite the export of fresh fruit and other agricultural products being allowed. The export wine ban means a loss of R200 million per week to the wine industry, says industry body VinPro. Continue reading →
The Government Gazette today published the final regulations governing the Corona Virus Lockdown in South Africa, commencing at midnight tonight. Transport arrangements and types of businesses deemed to be Essential Services and which may continue to operate have been announced, with stringent rules. Continue reading →
Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* Responsibility for SAA will be taken over by Nhlanhla Nene, Minister of Finance and National Treasury, from Minister of Public Enterprises Lynne Brown, once it has been documented as a proclamation in the Government Gazette!
* British wine writer Tim Atkin writes that our country’s white blends are the best, the release of the Chenin Blanc-dominant Cartology Alheit 2011 being the motivation for his praise, being a new benchmark for South African whites. Our country has ‘some of the most exciting and best value wines in the New World‘, he wrote.
* A new free App Sideways (likely to have been named after the famous movie set in Napa Valley) has been launched, designed by iKineo, as a guide to the Winelands. ‘Each wine farm’s profile page in Continue reading →
Tourism, Food, and Wine news headlines
* SAA has applied to service a number of additional routes to existing destinations, which has been recorded in the Government Gazette: 3 flights a week to Luanda, one a week to both Kinshasa and Dar es Salaam, 3 per week to Harare, 5 further flights to Mauritius, and 7 to Windhoek.
* In China trains are branded by SA Tourism, and images reflect giraffes, hippos, and lions.
* Twitter now allows one to send a Direct Message (DM) to non-Followers. However, one may not use inks in DMs anymore.
* Orphanage is celebrating Halloween with free Continue reading →