International relations and co-operation minister (Dirco) Naledi Pandor has expressed dismay at the UK’s bizarre decision to keep SA on its so-called Covid-19 red list. There is “no reasonable” basis for this; our government is “shocked” and “very disappointed”. A Dirco statement read: “Thousands of families and business people in SA and the UK are shocked at this continued exclusion, especially given SA’s progress in combating the Covid-19 pandemic, as evidenced by the rapid declining infection rates due to a robust vaccination programme and excellent science.”..