UPDATE: Thursday, 28 May 2020
On Thursday, 28 May 2020 – the National Coronavirus Command Council briefed the media on the regulations relating to the COVID-19 Level 3 lockdown.
Presented by Cooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini -Zuma, she announced the following regulations with effect from 01 June 2020:
- Sale of alcohol in licensed premises will be permitted, Mon-Thurs between 09:00am to 5:00pm. No on-site consumption will be allowed.
- E-commerce sales of alcohol will be permitted subject to the same onsite trade days and time.
- No sale of tobacco except when they are destined for the export market.
- Restaurants will remain open for food delivery services only.
- Sales of hot food in stores will resume. people will also be allowed to pick up food from stores. Drive-throughs will also be open.
- Movement will be permitted for people to go to work, get medicines, attend funerals, and students to go to school.
- Travel between provinces and districts for pupils, students, and teaching staff will be allowed.
- Domestic air travel for business travel will be allowed. (date to be announced)
- Exercising permitted between 06:00 am – 06:00 pm, not in groups.
- All construction work will now be allowed.
- Wholesale and retail, including spaza shops, will be allowed to completely reopen.
- Public training, fitness, and recreational facilities remain closed (Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture to elaborate).
- Inter-provincial travel for funerals will remain in place, only close relatives as defined in regulations are permitted to attend.
- Funeral attendance limit remains 50.
- The number of people in workplaces must be limited to minimize the risk of infection. The 1.5m distance must be observed.
- Any place open to the public where cultural, sporting, entertainment, recreational, exhibitional, organisational or similar activities may take place will remain closed.
- Gyms, fitness centres, sports grounds and fields, swimming pools expect for the training of professional athletes and professional non-contact sports matches.
- Bazaars, night clubs casinos, cinemas, theatres, fêtes will remain closed.
- Accommodation facilities (Hotels, Lodges, B&Bs, resorts, and Guest Houses) will remain closed unless these facilities are required for accommodation by persons in quarantine or isolation, persons for work purposes, the remaining tourists confined to such facilities.
- Beaches and public parks also remain closed.
- All gatherings are prohibited except a gathering at a faith-based institution (Church) limited to 50 people or less, depending on the size of the place of worship.
- Religious services can resume. However, people attending must be screened on arrival.
- Ports of entry remain closed, except for foreigners leaving the country, or those coming to attend school or work, for cargo and for repatriation of South Africans.
- No special or event liquor licenses will be issued during the level 3 period.
- No eviction of tenants except in certain conditions.
Continue reading below for previous updates.
UPDATE: Tuesday, 26 May 2020
On Tuesday, it was announced that churches will be allowed to resume services, but for 50 people. The new regulations will be under lockdown level 3 from 1 June 2020.
UPDATE: Sunday, 24 May 2020
On Sunday, 24 May 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation on South Africa’s ongoing measures to manage the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) through the implementation of a risk-adjusted strategy.
Ramaphosa announced that the country will enter Level 3 of lockdown from Monday, 01 June 2020.
This also forms part of the government’s plan to reopen the economy.
So here’s what you can expect when your province is under Level 3 lockdown:
SECTORS PERMITTED LEVEL 3
- Schools will reopen (Grade 7 and Grade 12)
- From 1 June, all public universities are expected to implement remote teaching and learning strategies to ensure that all students are given a fair opportunity to complete the 2020 academic year.
- Licensing and permitting services, deeds office
- Restaurants open only for food delivery
- Liquor retail within restricted hours and days
- Sale of tobacco will remain prohibited (due to the health risks associated with smoking)
- People will also be able to leave their homes to buy goods or obtain services including medical care
- People will also be able to exercise at any time during the day, provided this is not done in groups.
- Wholesale and retail trade will be fully opened, including stores, spaza shops, and informal traders. E-commerce will continue to remain open
- Clothing and textile manufacturing, at 50% capacity
- Sectors: agriculture and forestry, utilities, medical services, food production and manufacture of hygiene products, will remain fully open
- Sale of Clothing (all clothing and footwear)
- Automotive manufacturing
- Chemicals, bottling, cement and steel, machinery and equipment
- Global Business Services
- Sanral construction and maintenance
- Transnet at 100%
MOVEMENT RESTRICTIONS
- The curfew on the movement of people will be lifted
- Public gatherings prohibited
- Funeral allowed (with not more than 50 people in attendance)
- Any place open to the public where cultural, sporting, entertainment, recreational, exhibitional, organisational or similar activities may take place will remain closed.
TRANSPORT RESTRICTIONS
Bus services, taxi services, e-hailing, and private motor vehicles may operate at all times of the day, with limitations on vehicle capacity and stringent hygiene requirements. Limited passenger rail restored, with stringent hygiene conditions in place. Limited domestic air travel, with a restriction on the number of flights per day and authorization based on the reason for travel.
NB* Regulations are subject to change. Per draft framework released by the government for public consultation.
In other related news: Key takeaways from Cyril Ramaphosa’s nation address including Level 3 lockdown.
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