CAPE TOWN- Effective immediately, South African online stores are permitted to sell any product besides alcohol and cigarettes under lockdown alert level 4.
Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Ebrahim Patel published the new regulations after consultations with the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
According to the
Government Gazette e-Commerce plays a critical enabler to opening the economy through contactless transactions. Opening online shopping will reduce the movement of consumers and the density of shoppers in retail spaces.
In order to prevent the spread of Covid-19 online retailers will need to follow protocols outlined in the latest regulations. A section of the regulations read “e-Commerce is an important retail platform; however appropriate health and safety protocols need to be put in place which can allow the full e-Commerce”.
Local producers may benefit from the latest regulations as retailers are urged to give prominence to those goods which are manufactured in South Africa. This is “in order to limit the social and economic hardship caused by the pandemic”.
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