Mourners will now be allowed to travel for funerals, with strict conditions

Following extensive consultations with the ministers responsible for the country’s Covid-19 interventions and the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC), local government minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has gazetted further amendments to the regulations on the Covid-19 lockdown, with a particular focus on funerals.

According to a statement issued by the Cogta ministry, these amendments have been imposed in an effort to reinforce the national response to this crisis.

“These amendments will enhance national integrated response measures while also clarifying the application of the regulations relating to government’s measures to reduce the risk of infection and curtail the rapid spread of the Covid-19 virus while maintaining the integrity of the lockdown,” said Cogta.

The amendments will now allow certain individuals to move between provinces, metropolitan and district areas for the purposes of transporting a body for burial purposes. The amendment also limits the types of individuals who are permitted to travel to funerals.

The process for obtaining permission in the form of a permit for persons who wish to travel between provinces, or between metropolitan and district areas to attend a burial or cremation, have now also been outlined as follows:

Only the following persons, who live outside a province or metropolitan and district areas, may attend a funeral:
(i) spouse or partner of the deceased;
(ii) children of the deceased, whether biological, adopted or stepchildren.
(iii) children-in-law of the deceased;
(iv) parents of the deceased whether biological, adopted or stepparents;
(v) siblings, whether biological, adopted or stepbrother or sister of the deceased;
(vi) grandparents of the deceased; and
(vii) persons closely affiliated to the deceased.

“The current prohibition of 50 persons attending a funeral is still in operation. The holding of night vigils is still prohibited,” added the ministry.

The permit may be obtained from either a magistrate who is the head of office or a station commander of a police station or a person designated by him or her.

In order to obtain a permit, one must provide a death certificate or a certified copy of a death certificate to the magistrate who is the head of office or the station commander of a police station or a person designated by him or her.

The ministry advised it was important to note that a permit holder may stay at a hotel, lodge or guest house for the duration of the funeral or cremation.

The permit must be presented to the owner or manager of the hotel, lodge or guest house.

Click here to access the Covid-19 regulations and amendments.

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