President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Monday evening [February 1] that South Africa would remain on alert level 3 with a number of amendments.
The changes have already been gazetted by Minister of Cooperative Governance Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, meaning they are already in effect. Here are the biggest changes to the National Disaster Management Act:
Movement:
The new national curfew is from 11pm to 4am daily, except for persons who
– have been granted permission through directions issued by the relevant Cabinet member or a permit to perform a service
– is attending to a security or medical emergency
– arrives on a flight or is travelling to or from an airport which necessitates travelling during restricted hours of movement: Provided that the person travelling is in possession of a valid boarding pass as proof of flight or a copy of the airline ticket.
Closing time for various establishments, whether indoors or outdoors, is now 10pm. This includes cinemas, theatres, casinos, museums, galleries and archives, public swimming pools, beaches and public parks, game parks, botanical gardens, aquariums and zoos, gyms and fitness centres, restaurants, establishments offering wine -tastings and other brew- tastings, venues hosting auctions and venues hosting professional sport.
Faith-based institutions
Gatherings at faith-based institutions are now permitted but limited to 50 persons or less for indoor venues and 100 persons or less for outdoor venues and if the venue is too small to hold the prescribed number of persons observing a distance of at least one and a half metres from each other, then not more than 50% of the capacity of the venue may be used, provided that all health protocols and social distancing measures are adhered to
What is and isn’t open:
All beaches, dams, lakes and rivers, inclusive of all recreational facilities are now open to the public, provided that all health protocols and social distancing measures are adhered to.
All public swimming pools, including recreational facilities at such places, are open to the public subject to a limitation of 50 persons or less for indoor facilities and 100 persons or less for outdoor facilities and if the venue is too small to hold the prescribed number of persons observing a distance of at least one and a half metres from each other, then not more than 50%of the capacity of the venue may be used;
Night clubs remain closed to the public.
Sale and consumption of liquor:
The sale of liquor by licensed premises for off-site consumption is permitted from 10 am to 6 pm from Mondays to Thursdays, excluding public holidays: and by licensed premises for on-site consumption is permitted from 10 am to 10 pm.
Registered wineries, wine farms, micro -breweries and micro- distilleries may continue to operate in offering wine -tastings and other brews. Tastings and the selling of wine and other brews to the public for offsite consumption is permitted.
The transportation of liquor is now permitted.
Read the full gazette HERE.
Picture: Twitter / Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma