Courier services, Uber Eats and Mr D allowed under level 4 transport regulations

Courier services and delivery services such as Uber Eats, Mr Delivery and any other similar service are now permitted to operate between 9am and 7pm but only for the for delivery of goods allowed for sale under level 4.

In the case of Uber Eats and Mr Delivery Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula cautioned that they will be permitted “only for delivery of food, not alcohol or cigarettes.”

Additionally, because the wholesale sector has been allowed to return back to service and sub-sectors such as the e-Commerce sector are allowed to trade, it is imperative that courier services be allowed to operate without impunity.

“This sector is reliant on the courier services to deliver its goods to customers at their homes. That includes online shopping for items such as personal ICT equipment and other goods,” added Mbalula.

Additionally, the commercial movement of wine is now allowed even though its sale is still banned.

Other transport regulations that will come into effect immediately include:

eHailing services and metered taxis

Loading capacity for metered taxis and e-hailing services remains at 50%. A 5-seater vehicle is permitted to carry a maximum of 2 passengers and a driver.

Buses

Buses will be allowed to transport 70% passengers of their licensed loading capacity, with requisite social distancing, wearing of masks by all passenger and other mitigating measures.

Shuttle and Chauffeur Services

Shuttle and Chauffeur services will be subject to the same rules as other road-based public transport modes. Both the Shuttle and Chauffeur services will only be permitted for transportation of people undertaking essential work and those economic sectors allowed to return back to work under level 4. Loading capacity of 50% is equally applicable to these services.

Charter Services

Charter services will be subject to the same rules as other road-based public transport modes. This service is only be permitted for transportation of people undertaking essential work. Loading capacity of 50% is equally applicable to these services.

A number of companies, particularly in the mining sector, work 3 shifts, resulting in employees finishing work outside the permitted public transport operating hours.

These companies may make use of charter services. Operators of vehicles undertaking this service must be identifiable as such for purposes of law enforcement.

Cross-Border Road Transport

Cross-Border road passenger movement remains prohibited. Only essential cargo will be allowed to move across our land borders. The definition of essential cargo has been broadened in the Level 4 Regulations published on 29 April 2020.

The SADC Protocol on COVID-19 is applicable. It also details the goods that should be allowed by member states to move across land borders.

Maritime Transport

In respect of maritime transport, there will be no changes to the directions regulating the movement of ships. The ban on passenger vessels and cruise liners remains in place, and only vessels bringing in cargo are allowed to call on our ports.

However, government will allow the movement of cargo from our sea-ports to either warehouses or final destinations as provided for in the current rules.

Aviation

The ban on both domestic and international passenger flights remains in place. However, as is already the case, the government will continue to allow repatriation flights either bringing back South Africans stranded in foreign countries or transporting foreign nationals to their home countries.

The current approval procedures to permit departure or landing of such flights remains unchanged.

The easing of the lockdown to Level 4 means increased economic activity in sectors that are permitted to resume operations.

Due consideration will be given to the mining and agricultural sector to allow limited movement of aircrafts, either to transport essential workers by chartered aircrafts or to spray pesticides on crops. All these movements will be subject to approval and permits will be issued on a case by case basis.

No scheduled domestic flights will be permitted in Level 4.

This is determined by the Risk Adjusted Strategy, which guides the easing of restrictions.

Once the alert level moves to Level 3, limited movement of scheduled domestic flights will be allowed. It is only when the country’s alert level reaches Level 2, that government will fully open the country’s airspace and allow movement of both domestic and international flights.

Rail

With the gradual resumption of economic activity in certain sectors and permitted movement of freight, government will allow the full resumption of freight rail.

Commuter rail will resume operations gradually on an incremental basis, based on the detailed plans submitted by the passenger rail operators. Limited services with strict measures to ensure social distancing and other mitigation measures, will be introduced.

Gautrain

Gautrain operations will be gradually re-introduced in all rail-based services, covering 8 of their 9 stations. There will be no airport service.

An appropriate load factor will be applied by all operators based on their seating and standing arrangements according to 50% standard coach occupancy.

Gautrain will mark out areas of the station to demarcate where to stand and queue appropriately, based on one passenger per square metre.

The Gautrain seating arrangement will consist alternate seats to allow regulated spacing and control based on average one passenger per square metre.

Operating staff in completion of service, will operate from 5am to 12pm and 3pm with an appropriate peak hour service. The last trains will depart at 6pm to clear the system by 7pm.

To allow for travelling of operating staff and completion of service, the Gautrain will operate from 5am to 12pm and 3pm to 8pm with an appropriate peak hour service.

Maintenance staff will be permitted to move in and around the system during curfew hours (10pm – 4am). Maintenance vehicles will only be permitted to move around the system in these hours only.

Prasa

Prasa will similarly adopt a gradual re-introduction of its services based on its capacity to manage crowds, implement effective social distancing and implement other mitigation measures that include cleaning and disinfection of surfaces, trains and stations.

Prasa will undertake the compulsory testing of the rolling stock during the Level 4 period and only resume with a limited service once the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) declares the risk-adjustment to Level 3, with the return of the Pienaarspoort line in Tshwane and the Southern line in Cape Town.

There will be no immediate resumption of Metrorail commuter services until we have satisfied ourselves that the risk of transmission is manageable on a corridor by corridor basis.

“There will be no trains on Monday, that must be absolutely clear,” said Mbalula.

Long-distance trains are still prohibited in Level 4.

Driving Schools

Driving schools will be permitted to resume their activities subject to effective social distancing and sanitizing measures. Both the instructor and the learner must wear face masks at all times.

Vehicle Services

Servicing of vehicles of personnel performing emergency services is permitted under Level 4. This also includes the importation of spares for service purposes and for manufacturing. Emergency spares are also allowed to be on sale.

Repairs and fitments to vehicles utilized for emergency and essential services is permitted.

Emergency services & roadside assistance

Emergency services and roadside assistance services for all are allowed. This also includes towing services and support with the breakdown of vehicles.

Drivers’ Licence Testing Centres (DLTC) and vehicle testing centres

Drivers’ Licence Testing Centres (DLTC)  and vehicle testing centres will gradually re-open for essential service workers to renew their drivers’ and vehicle licenses.

The opening of the DLTCs will be staggered once inspection and verification of the state of readiness is done on all of them. The Metro based DLTCs will be opened first from 1 June 2020.

Government will issue directions to limit the daily numbers of people that can be attended to, while restricting bookings to online platforms.

“Going forward, we are committed to redesigning business models, make greater use of artificial intelligence, digital channels, telecommuting, redesign transport and logistic norms and practices, sanitizing, social distancing, introduce new social norms and practices on masks, gloves, PPEs, transparent screens, as well as human contact (that is no handshakes, no hugging, no pecking/kissing, and ensure minimal contact).”

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