The Tanzanian government has suspended Air Tanzania flights from their commercial capital Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg.
According to a Reuters report, the country’s Transport Minister Isack Kamwelwe cited “ongoing violence” in South Africa as the reason.
Addressing the media on Thursday, Kamwelwe said this created a risk for Air Tanzania’s passengers.
You are aware that there is ongoing violence in South Africa whereby the youth have taken laws in their hands.
Due to that, we have decided not to transport passengers to the destination where their lives will be in jeopardy.
Isack Kamwelwe
It’s unclear how long this suspension would last.
Unrest in Gauteng
Several parts of Gauteng have been gripped by unrest that has seen many shops, foreign as well as locally owned, looted.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura told media on Thursday that the situation is “now under control.”
Reports indicate that up to seven people have lost their lives in the unrest and around 423 have been arrested.
Ramaphosa to address concerns
President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to address the nation at 18h00 on Thursday.
According to a Presidency statement, Ramaphosa will address gender-based violence issues as well as the unrest.
Earlier on Thursday, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor acknowledged that the unrest has caused some “embarrassment” for South Africa.
In an interview with SABC, she said South Africa would do everything within its laws to bring the situation under control.