6 lockdown changes announced for South Africa

Government has made a number of changes to South Africa’s level 3 lockdown regulations, with more likely on the way.

On Friday (26 June), the minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma published a new directive outlining the country’s ‘advanced’ level 3 lockdown regulations.

A number of ministers have subsequently announced changes to their various sectors, including the reopening of a number of business sectors.

These changes are outlined in more detail below.

Sit-down restaurants

Tourism minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, has outlined the following rules that restaurants will need to follow when they reopen on Monday (29 June):

• Restaurants are required to conduct a screening questionnaire on guests. Restaurants may refuse admission if they deem a guest is a safety risk;

• No person may enter the premises without a cloth mask or any homemade item that covers the nose and mouth;

• Masks must be worn at all times except where eating and drinking;

• All guests must sanitise before entering the premises;

• There must be a distance of at least 1.5 metres between the customer and the point-of-sale serving counter. The same distance will also apply to queuing customers and between queues at different till points;

• Customers should also be seated 1.5 metres apart;

• Restaurants should consider a reservation system where possible to manage demand and ensure capacity limits;

• No self-service buffets are allowed;

• Menus must be replaced with non-touch options or sanitised after each use;

• Tables must be sanitised before and after each guest;

• Where possible and while taking orders, waiting staff should stand at least a metre from the table.

Casinos

Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane announced that casinos can also reopen, subject to the following rules:

Conference and meetings

Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said that conference and meeting venus can reopen, subject to the following rules:

• The number of persons entering a conference and meeting venue shall not be more than 50 people;

• Conference and meetings shall ensure compliance with the requirement relating to physical distancing, which is at least one and a half meters;

• These venues must keep a daily record of the full details of all employees, delivery agents and attendees;

• Conduct a screening questionnaire for every delegate in the format of the form issues with published guidelines;

• Set up screening stations before or after entrances, at the front of queues to facilitate the screening of delegates at each and every entry;

• After screening, where necessary, isolate a person in a facility within their premises designated for isolation;

• No person shall be allowed onto a premises, if that person is not wearing a cloth mask or homemade item that covers the nose and mouth;

• Delegates must wear masks at all times except when eating or drinking;

• Sanitise delegates before entering into the premises;

• Frequently sanitise guests during their stay in the premises or provide guests with sanitisers for frequent use;

• Only individual water and individual mints condiments will be provided. The use of containers or bowls is prohibited;

• Sanitise microphone and podium after use by every person;

• Designate a seat for each delegate and not allow a delegate to change the seat.

Resumption of sports 

Further to the announcement of the approval for the resumption of football activities last week, minister of sport, arts and culture, Nathi Mthethwa, announced the resumption of training and matches for the following sport bodies:

• Cricket SA;
• South African Anglers and Casting Confederation;
• SA Gymnastics Federation;
• Tennis SA;
• SA National Climbing Federation;
• Canoeing SA;
• Swimming SA.

Tracking and tracing

As part of her directive on Friday, Dlamini-Zuma introduced a number of changes to government’s coronavirus tracking and tracing capabilities. These include:

• The use of ‘geospatial hotspot mapping’ for tracking and tracing purposes;

• The Department of Health can develop and implement electronic systems or applications to be used on mobile devices or computers in order to collect, on a voluntary basis, information from members of the public for inclusion in the Covid-19 database;

• To obtain the necessary consent from the user of the mobile device or computer, the terms and conditions of the electronic system or application must explain and request the user’s express consent on a number of issues, including which information will be collected and how it will be stored.

Exercise and continued restrictions

Dlamini-Zuma also clarified the issue of exercising in groups in her directive.

The rules have been updated to allow for exercise between the hours of 06h00 to 18h00, provided that the exercise is not done in organised groups of more than four people, and adheres to health protocols and social distancing measures.

The directive also indicates that the following restrictions will remain in place:

• Gyms and fitness centres remain closed;
• Sports grounds and fields and swimming pools remain closed, except for training of professional athletes and non -contact sports matches as referred to in regulation and contact sports for training only;
• Fêtes and bazaars remain closed;
• Night clubs remain closed;
• Accommodation establishments not formally accredited and licensed, such as private homes for paid leisure accommodation (ie, Airbnb) remain closed;
• Conference facilities remain closed, except for business use;
• Any on-consumption premises, including bars, taverns, shebeens and similar establishments remain closed;
• Beaches and public parks remain closed.

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