You still can’t buy cigarettes, as the sale of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, is not permitted under level 4 lockdown regulations.
Citing reasons relating to health and the transmission of Covid-19, the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma made this announcement earlier this evening as she detailed the regulations which will apply from Friday as the lockdown regulations are relaxed from level 5 to level 4.
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said government had decided to adopt a risk-adjusted approach where business will become operational again while strict precautions are taken to curb the spread of Covid-19.
She said a number of submissions had been received from ordinary citizens, of which the biggest was the need to exercise. In this regard, the minister announced that from 1 May, exercise is permitted between 06:00 and 09:00 within a radius of 5 km from a person’s residence, while no organised group sessions are allowed.
“We still expect everyone to be at home. Like under level 5 regulations, you are still allowed to go to the shops to buy essential goods, and go to work. But, coming back from work is not the time to visit anyone. Between 20:00 and 05:00 you will need a permit to be away from home,” she said in reiterating the curfew that was announced over the weekend.
Other regulations that will apply:
- Children are allowed to be moved between homes.
- When schools and universities do open, learners and students will also have to have permits.
- There will be a once-off allowance for people who live in other provinces, to return to their province of work. This will also apply to people who find themselves wanting to return home from family.
- Companies should have a proper Covid-ready plan for workers to return to work. This will be industry-monitored to ensure adherence.
- The country’s ports of entry remain closed, except for imported or exported goods.
- Bus and rail transport will be open, but will operational under very strict conditions.
- All agricultural products may be moved to the ports, as well as other products manufactured for export.
- Restaurants may deliver food for delivery, but no sit-in is allowed.
- Visitation to correctional services centres, police holding cells, military detention facilities and health facilities will be strictly controlled.
- Recycling is permitted under level 4, which will allow informal waste collectors to work.
In addition, no one may be evicted from their residences. Tenants should, however not take advantage of the situation by illegally occupying property, the minister said. This was simply a regulation since property and rental agents are not permitted to work.
According to Dlamini-Zuma, the non-sale of liquor has been valuable in curbing the spread of the virus.
“Our hospitals’ casualty and trauma wards have been freed. Hospital workers can now focus on the sick instead of those who were assaulted. Our members of police can focus on the work they should be doing, instead of chasing after those who drink and cause trouble.”
The minister thanked citizens for their cooperation and patience in working with government to fight the spread of the virus.
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