South Africa’s latest level three lockdown regulations once again limit various facets of daily living. How citizens live, work and spend their free time has been deeply impacted in the 291 days since the country was placed under lockdown on March 27 last year.
The lockdown is a regulatory restriction of movement and activity through which government has tried to limit the spread of Covid-19. Since March last year, 33 579 citizens have died as a result of the virus.
A total of 239 799 are currently infected and the country’s infection rate is rising like never before.
Caxton Local Media summarises how the new regulations limit your personal movement during everyday life.
Curfew and Essential Services Permit
The new curfew applies from 21:00 until 05:00, except when you have been authorised to be out during the curfew period by a cabinet member, or if you have the permit in Form 7 of Annexure A with you, indicating that you are performing an essential service.
Any South African that seeks to visit a public place (or to make use of public transport) must wear a mask, but children aged six and younger are exempted. Sanitation and social distancing must always be practised.
Work and Retail
As in the past, businesses must continue to ensure that customers inside their establishments and those queuing outside are distanced at least one-and-a-half metres from each another. Customers and employees must be provided with sanitising products.
Where possible, employees must be allowed to work from home to decrease the number of persons in the workplace. Regulation 36(15)(c) stipulates that “all business premises (including but not limited to supermarkets, shops, grocery stores, produce markets and pharmacies) are subject to a limitation of 50 per cent of the floor space, which includes customers and employees, and subject to strict adherence to all health protocols, social distancing measures”.
Exercise
Those who exercise vigorously in a public place do not have to wear masks, as long as social distancing is maintained. According to the newly gazetted regulations, the Minister of Health is expected to provide a clear definition of what constitutes “vigorous exercise”.
Indoor gyms may host no more than 50 people, while up to 100 people may be accommodated at an outdoor gym, subject to social distancing being implemented. “If the venue is too small to hold the prescribed number of persons observing a distance of at least one and a half metres from each other, then not more than 50 per cent of the capacity of the venue may be used,” the regulations indicate.
Recreational activities
Cinemas, theatres, casinos, museums, galleries, archives, gyms, fitness centres, restaurants, auctioneering venues and professional sporting venues must be closed by 20:00.
Venues such as cinemas and restaurants may cater for a maximum of 50 guests indoors or 100 guests outdoors. If a venue’s floorspace is not sufficient to cater for 50 persons while ensuring that social distancing of one-and-a-half metre consistently applies, that venue will be limited to 50 per cent of its capacity.
Click here for more on level three lockdown regulations and recreational activities.
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