The amendments to the regulations come after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the reintroduction of new lockdown restrictions on Sunday evening, 12 July 2020 as the country faces a surge in coronavirus cases.

 

“The storm is upon us,” the President said. “More than a quarter of a million South Africans have been infected with coronavirus, and we know that many more infections have gone undetected.”

 

MASKS

The Amendments state that the wearing of a cloth face mask, a handmade item, or another appropriate item that covers the nose and mouth is mandatory for every person when in a public place.

 

In addition, an employer may not allow any employee to perform any duties or enter the employment premises if the employee is not wearing an appropriate item.

 

In addition, no person will be allowed to:

  • Use, operate, perform any service on any form of public transport;
  • Enter or be in a building, place or premises, including government buildings, places or premises, used by the public to obtain goods or services; or
  • Be in any public open space, If he or she is not wearing a cloth face mask, a homemade item, or another appropriate item that covers the nose and mouth.

 

The above does not apply to a person who undertakes ‘vigorous exercise’ in a public place, provided that the person maintains a distance of at least three metres from any other person, and subject to directions on what is considered to be ‘vigorous’ by the Health minister.

 

Public transport drivers, managers, owners of buildings, and employers who do enforce the above regulations will be liable to either a fine or six months imprisonment or both.

 

CURFEW

Every person is confined to his or her place of residence from 21h00 until 04h00 daily, except where a person has been granted a permit, to perform a service permitted under Alert Level 3 or is attending a security or medical emergency.

 

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Bus and taxi services may operate under the following conditions:

  • They may not carry more than 70% of the licensed capacity for long-distance intra- provincial and permitted inter-provincial travel; and
  • They may carry 100% of the licensed capacity for any trip not regarded as long-distance travel.

 

The Regulations defines long-distance travel as a trip of 200 km or more whether the travel is within a province or inter-provincial.

 

A driver, owner or operator of public transport may not allow any member of the public not wearing a cloth face mask, homemade item, or another appropriate item that covers the nose and mouth, to board or be conveyed in public transport owned or operated by him or her.

 

CIGARETTES AND TOBACCO 

  • The sale of tobacco, tobacco products, e-cigarettes and related products to members of the public and to persons, including retailers who sell directly to the members of the public, is prohibited.
  • The sale of tobacco, tobacco products, e-cigarettes and related products for export, is permitted.
  • The sale of tobacco from farmers to local processors or local manufacturers, and from processors to manufacturers, is permitted.

 

LIQUOR

The sale, dispensing and distribution of liquor is now also prohibited with immediate effect.

The transportation of liquor is prohibited, except where the transport of liquor is:

  • In relation to alcohol required for industries producing hand sanitisers, disinfectants, soap or alcohol for industrial use and household cleaning products;
  • For export purposes; or
  • From manufacturing plants to storage facilities.

 

Article by: Anesta Kruger

Dispute Resolution Official – Durban