The department issued a statement saying the group arrived back in South Africa on Thursday following a directive from President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa announced the relaxation of the restriction to allow stranded South Africans, who were abroad, to travel back home.

“The group is currently under quarantine as per the regulations," Dirco said.

“Another group of about 16 citizens stranded in Germany is expected to return from Frankfurt over the weekend,” the statement said.

The department said with more countries requesting to repatriate their citizens from South Africa, it would be using the opportunity to bring back more South Africans using the chartered flights.

The  department said the country’s mission and command centre in Pretoria has registered a total of 2,313 South Africans stranded abroad due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Of these, 726 are students, 600 people are workers, 492 are tourists and 495 haven’t disclosed why they are out of the country.

“In line with Minister Pandor’s instructions, the department is prioritising those who are stuck at the airports, the students who have been asked to vacate their residences, the elderly and the sick, the statement read.

The department said it also wanted to assure South African citizens stranded abroad that it empathises with their plight, and that it is “doing whatever it can to assist them to be safe, as comfortable as possible and to travel back to South Africa”.

South Africa has been in lockdown since midnight, 26 March, a measure implemented to prevent the spread of Covid-19. 

The lockdown has meant the closure of borders, suspension of travel, the closure of schools and the prohibition of mass gatherings. It is also intended to keep all people indoors, except for those who provide essential services. 

Government's rallying call during this period has consistently been for people to stay at home.

To date, South Africa has 1,505 confirmed cases of Covid-19  with five recorded deaths.

African News Agency