The South African Judiciary has published a number of directives on how much citizens will have to pay as an admission of guilt fine if they are in contravention of the country’s lockdown regulations.
When the South African Police Service (SAPS) apprehends someone on suspicion of having committed a less serious offence, there is the option of paying an admission of guilt fine. This fine allows the perpetrator to admit to the crime without having to appear in court, and is a way of resolving less serious matters quickly.
The Judiciary’s guidelines fall in line with Level 4 lockdown regulations, which were introduced on May 1. In essence, these directives demonstrate how the court will deal with such cases.
Here is how much you may pay as an admission of guilt fine, according to BusinessTech:
| Charge | Fine |
|---|---|
| Making a misrepresentation that any person is infected with Covid-19 | R3 000 |
| Publishing any statement to deceive any other person about Covid-19 | R2 000 |
| Publishing any statement to deceive any other person about the infection status of any person | R3 000 |
| Intentionally exposing another person to Covid-19 | R5 000 |
| Disclosing any information in the Covid-19 database | R1 000 |
| Convening a gathering | R3 000 |
| Failure to confine oneself to one’s place of residence | R500 |
| Going to work without a permit | R500 |
| Buying goods that are not permitted | R500 |
| Illegally moving children | R1 000 |
| Illegally walking, running, or cycling | R500 |
| Illegally leaving residence during curfew (20h00 – 05h00) | R500 |
| Illegally moving between provinces, metropolitan areas and districts | R1 000 |
| Illegal eviction of a person | R5 000 |
| Visiting places and premises closed to the public | R1 000 |
| Selling, dispensing or distributing liquor | R2 000 |
| Selling tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and related products | R1 000 |
| Retail stores selling illegal goods | R1 000 |
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