FCDO Release Travel Warning After Cape Town Strikes

Following some large disruptions to travel to and from the Cape Town airport, the FCDO has released an official update to their warning on the Foreign Travel Advice page for all travellers. 

The Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office (FCDO) originally issued an alert on Saturday the 5th of August letting travellers know of the situation. Since it has escalated with strikes and protests in Cape Town, the FCDO have today, the 7th of August, updated the travel advice to reflect the changes.  

The disruptions originally began over the weekend after many taxi and minibus taxi drivers went on strike in Cape Town. Following the strike announcement, many protests and demonstrations were made including some vehicles being attacked by protesters.  

The strike and protests came in the form of drivers blocking the main roads to and from the airport due to the heavy-handed treatment they received from local police in comparison to other people on the road.  

The FCDO responded in the warning and said, “There are currently ongoing strikes in the Cape Town area. Strike action is currently blocking the N2 and other major routes to and from Cape Town airport. 

“You should consider delaying your travel to and from the airport until the route is cleared. GPS services could divert you into less secure areas or into ongoing protests. Carefully monitor local news and social media and follow the advice of local authorities. 

“These strikes have the potential to turn violent and may impact multiple areas including journeys to and from the airport. Please check for any disruption on your route before travelling, avoid violent protests and try to stick to major routes. 

“Where safer to do so, consider delaying your journey and, if possible, seek advice from a trusted local source, such as your hotel or travel provider. You can find up-to-date information from Cape Town Airport’s twitter feed and the City of Cape Town feed.” 

Cape Town airport has also released advice to travellers asking them to allow plenty of time for their travel amidst the disruptions and following management of it.  

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