While visits to friends and family are allowed under lockdown Level-2 that comes into effect at midnight on Monday, the number of visitors is restricted to no more than 10 people at a time.
This was announced by Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma during a media briefing on the new lockdown regulations.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Saturday that the country is moving down to Level-2. In terms of the new regulations, the ban on the sale of alcohol and tobacco products will be lifted while interprovincial travel will also be allowed.
The curfew of between 10 pm to 4 am however remains.
“Social events at places of residence are now permitted. These include visits to friends and family, so long as there are no more than ten visitors at a time and the whole protocol of wearing masks, sanitisation, washing of hands, and social distancing are observed,” says Dlamini-Zuma.
Below is a media briefing by Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma:
Funerals
The number of people who are allowed to attend a funeral is still limited to 50 people. Night vigils are not allowed.
“During a funeral, a person must wear a face mask and adhere to all health protocols and social distancing measures,” the government gazette outlines.
Public places to operate
Fitness centres and gyms are also subject to a limitation of 50 people or less. Under Level-2 museums, galleries, and archives, bars, taverns, shebeens will be opened subject to the same limitation.
“All accommodation establishments and tour operators, subject to a restriction on the number of persons allowed in such establishments to not more than 50% of the available floor space, with patrons observing a distance of least one and a half metres from each other: Provided that this percentage may be increased as provided for in the directions issued by the relevant Cabinet member,” the gazette further indicates.
Political parties’ opinion
Meanwhile, political Analyst Professor Somadoda Fikeni says it’s not surprising that some political parties continue to have different views about the developments surrounding COVID-19 in South Africa. This after the EFF has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa and the department of Health of manipulating the COVID-19 stats in order to justify the easing of the lockdown to Alert Level 2, while the DA has always been vocal in calling for a complete opening of the country’s economy.
Fikeni says this is because some parties have different mandates – given to them by their electorate in the past general elections. And thus they will always say what their constituencies expect them to say.
“One would imagine that workers such as teachers and workers in different factories which EFF may be targetting and having an interest in might be anxious about their own health and the sense of vulnerability. Whereas your business sector such as your alcohol and your tobacco services might be putting pressure on political parties such as the DA.”
As SABC’s Samkele Maseko reports EFF accuses President and Department of Health of manipulating COVID-19 statistics:
