EXPLAINED | Sifting through the confusion on visiting family under level 3 lockdown
Confusion over whether or not family visits are allowed under level 3 lockdown has caused a stir among citizens.
This after police minister Bheki Cele contradicted minister in the presidency Jackson Mthembu's statement about the level 3 regulations.
What Mthembu said
Speaking during a media briefing on Thursday, Mthembu said citizens would be allowed to visit family members in their neighbourhood.
He said a permit would only be required should citizens wish to visit family members in a different province, district or metro.
“The way the regulations and the direction stand now is that we can visit our family in our neighbourhood. The only problem is when we must go beyond the province, district and the metro where we live for the purpose of visiting our families.
“Yes, we can still get permits to visit our families if whatever need has arisen for us to visit them because we are not living in normal times,” Mthembu said.
What Cele said
However, speaking at the same briefing, Cele said no social visits would be allowed, at all.
“I hope you will read regulation 33 very closely. All categories permitted appear there, and visiting your friends, your peers, your girlfriends, your boyfriends, does not appear in regulation 33.
“Social visits are absolutely not allowed under level 3.”
Watch video below (Skip to 49:30 to hear what Cele said)
What does the law say?
According to the regulations gazetted by the government, citizens are not allowed to travel between provinces, districts, metropolitan areas and hotspot areas unless “carrying out work responsibilities”, as allowed under level 3.
The only movement allowed under section 33, provided that citizens have a permit, is moving to a new home, caring for an immediate family member, members of parliament, going to school, attending a funeral, getting medical treatment or returning to where you live after undergoing quarantine.