Stranded abroad, dreams on hold: Omicron travel restrictions hit South Africans hard

The emergence of a new coronavirus variant has led to governments scrambling to try and contain its spread to their countries. 

But the number of nations that have detected Omicron is increasing.

The strain was identified by South African scientists last week.

The announcement was met by an immediate banning of flights from South Africa by the UK, followed by a other countries.

Mauritius is the latest to impose travel restrictions on South Africa.

Sam Delporte of Pinetown says her elderly mother-in-law is stuck in Belgium and will miss her first Christmas with the family in a few years.

"She's definitely worried about how to get home.

"She is very worried about the fact that she might not be home for Christmas to be with us all and it's the first time in quite a few years that her son, myself and her granddaughter are here from Johannesburg and her other grandchildren are coming up from Johannesburg to spend Christmas with us.

"So it's put a damper on everything for her and she's so worried and concerned."

South African lifesaving coach Dean Marais says his team was set to compete in Egypt on Sunday.

"This is very disappointing. They guys have put in months of training. It would have been our first international competition in two years. Some of the African countries just jumped on the bandwagon.

“I can understand they are trying to protect themselves, but I think it was just a little bit of lack of understanding."  

President Cyril Ramaphosa has slammed the travel bans as unjustified and disappointing. 

Meanwhile, Emirates says it's resuming its flights from Dubai to Johannesburg on Wednesday, but they'll only be inbound.

The airline says it will not be flying any passengers out of Johannesburg.

Its operations at Durban's King Shaka International Airport and Cape Town International will remain suspended.

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