From beaches to booze sales — 5 things you need to know from Ramaphosa’s 'family meeting'

President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a stern warning to South Africans against social gatherings during the festive season as SA battles the second wave of Covid-19.

During his address to the nation on Monday, Ramaphosa said restaurants and other non-essential establishments will close at 10pm, to allow staff to travel home before a nationwide curfew at 11pm. 

Ramaphosa said the cabinet had extended the curfew from 11pm to 4am.

He warned that flouting the new restrictions will lead to more deaths and infections.

Here are five things you must know from his address:

Avoid superspreader events

Ramaphosa said alcohol consumption during live events prevented many from observing Covid-19 safety regulations which include wearing masks and social distancing. He condemned the Rage event after which hundreds of matric pupils had tested positive for Covid-19.

“Many people consume alcoholic drinks at these superspreader events, with the result that people become less careful about taking measures to protect themselves and prevent infection.

“We know that nearly 1,000 people from Gauteng who attended the event, have tested positive for the coronavirus. What we don't know yet is how many more people each of them has infected. It is said 300 families could, in turn, have been infected.” 

Tighter restrictions on beaches and in parks

Ramaphosa said beaches in the Eastern Cape and along the Garden Route in the Western Cape will be closed from December 16 to January 3. In KwaZulu-Natal, one of the four provinces hardest hit by infections, beaches will be closed on the busiest days during the festive season.

“In the areas with the highest rate of infection, beaches and public parks will be closed for the duration of the festive season from December 16 to January 3. This will apply to all of the Eastern Cape, as well as to the Garden Route district in the Western Cape.

“In KwaZulu-Natal, beaches and public parks will be closed on what are traditionally the busiest days of the season. These days are December 16, 25, 26 and 31 and January 1, 2 and 3.

“The beaches and public parks of the Northern Cape and the Western Cape — with the exception of the Garden Route — will remain open to the public over the festive season.

Restaurants will close early

All non-essential establishments will now close at 10pm.

“Non-essential establishments, including restaurants and bars will have to close at 10pm so that staff and patrons can get home before the enforcement of the curfew. The curfew is meant to prevent gatherings that go on late into the night while enabling restaurants, bars and taverns to continue to operate and earn an income.”

Cause for the spike in infections 

Ramaphosa said increased travel is another one of the contributing factors to an increase in infections.

“Another factor in the rise of infections is increased travel. Many people do not observe prevention measures as they move within cities, within our towns or rural areas. We have to recognise that the more we travel, the greater the spread of the virus.”

Coronavirus hotspots 

Just two weeks after declaring the Nelson Mandela Bay metro a Covid-19 hotspot, Ramaphosa said the cabinet had agreed to declare two more districts as hotspots. The new restrictions took effect on at midnight on Monday.

“There are other municipalities that have also shown a particularly sharp rise in infections Health minister Zweli Mkhize has visited these areas and after consultations with various stakeholders, cabinet has decided to also declare the Sarah Baartman and Garden Route districts as coronavirus hotspots.

"This all means that the same additional restrictions that we applied to Nelson Mandela Bay will apply in these districts from midnight tonight and will continue until we see a clear and sustained decline in infections."