South Africa’s lockdown regulations have been updated yet again to reflect recent changes, following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s national address on Monday [December 14]. The updates provide clarity on how hotels and other entertainment based venues may operate amid new restrictions.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma published the new gazette on December 17, two days after the December 15 gazette that followed the President’s address.
According to the latest gazette, all businesses in hotspot regions in the country must close by 9pm to accommodate for the new curfew. This includes faith -based institutions, venues where social events are hosted, venues hosting concerts and live performances, cinemas and theatres, casinos, museums, gyms, fitness centres and swimming pools, restaurants, bars, taverns, shebeens and similar establishments; and venues hosting sport, arts and culture activities.
The gazette was also amended to mention that hotels, lodges, bed and breakfasts, timeshare facilities, resorts and guest houses may operate at full capacity, although patrons must observe a distance of at least 1.5-metres from each other when in common areas.
Conferencing, dining, entertainment and bar facilities are subject to a limitation of a maximum of 100 persons or less in case of an indoor gathering and 250 persons or less in case of an outdoor gathering and if the venue is too small to hold 100 persons observing a distance of at least one and a half metres from each other, then not more than 50 percent of the capacity of the venue may be used. Loud music, whether live or otherwise, is prohibited.
Registered wineries and wine farms may continue to operate in offering wine -tastings and the selling of wine to the public for off- site consumption, subject to strict adherence to the curfew provided and strict adherence to social distancing measures and health protocols.
Initiation practices are prohibited nationally, however, initiation practices will be allowed in the Eastern Cape Province, excluding Nelson Mandela Bay, and Sarah Baartman district.
Read the latest amendments HERE.
Picture: Twitter / Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma