Smoking, booze, beaches and visits: SA's new level 2 lockdown laws
Alcohol can be sold by licensed premises, such as bottle stores, from 9am until 5pm from Monday to Thursday, according to new level 2 regulations gazetted on Monday.
The regulations were signed by co-operative governance & traditional affairs (Cogta) minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
The new rules allow the sale of cigarettes and vaping products.
Alcohol can be purchased for on-site consumption at licensed restaurants or taverns, for example, throughout the week, until 10pm.
If you want your family to visit your home, or if you want to go over to a friend's place, there should no more than 10 people there.
'It's been a roller-coaster ride': bottle stores get back to business
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It remains mandatory to wear a face mask when in public, using public transport or entering a premises under level 2.
A night curfew remains in place between 10pm and 4am and gatherings, including social gatherings, are still limited to 50 people at any one time at places such as gyms, bars, taverns and shebeens.
Travel between provinces is now allowed and restrictions on the use of beaches and parks have been lifted.
Dlamini-Zuma said during a briefing on Monday that it had been an “immensely difficult” five months.
According to the gazette, attendance at funerals is still limited to 50 people. However, the prohibition on night vigils remains, and a person must wear a face mask and adhere to all health protocols and social distancing measures.
The regulations say that people may not be evicted from their home or land under level 2, and the home may not be demolished for the duration of the national state of disaster — unless with a valid court order.
If you want to go to the movies, cinemas are not allowed to have more than 50 people, and sale of tickets done through a remote booking system. Theatres, casinos, weddings, concerts and entertainment events are allowed the same limit of 50 people, maximum.
“For the duration of the national state of disaster, male and female initiation practices are prohibited, a person may not arrange or hold an initiation school or conduct an initiation practice ... The National House of Traditional Leaders and provincial houses of traditional leaders must take steps to ensure that traditional leaders are aware of the content of this regulation,” the regulations state.
Perhaps controversially, the limit on public transport not carrying more than 70% of capacity — which has been a sticking point in recent months — remains in place.
“Bus and taxi services may not carry more than 70% of the licensed capacity for long-distance travel; and may carry 100% of the licensed capacity for any trip not regarded as long-distance travel,” the gazette reads.
“A driver, owner or operator of public transport may not allow any member of the public not wearing a face mask to board or be conveyed in public transport owned or operated by him or her.”
People who are able to work from home must continue to do so. “However, people will be permitted to perform any type of work outside the home, and to travel to and from work and for work purposes under alert level 2, subject to a strict adherence to health protocols and social distancing measures.”
Businesses prohibited from operation under level 2 are:
- nightclubs;
- international passenger air travel for leisure purposes;
- passenger ships for international leisure purposes;
- attendance of any sporting event by spectators;
- international sports events; and
- exclusions relating to public transport services as set out in the directions issued by the cabinet member responsible for transport.