Durban - Newly gazetted lockdown regulations have been released as government tackles the second wave of Covid-19 infections with the aim of curbing the spread of the deadly Coronavirus which has already claimed the lives of more than 23 000 South Africans.
Cooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma on Tuesday gazetted the new lockdown regulations with the regulations set to be in place throughout the festive season until 3 January, when the government will assess the progress that would have been made in curbing the spread of the virus.
Stringent rules have been put in places to limit gatherings at funerals, gatherings at social events, gatherings at faith based institutions and a strict curfew from 10pm to 4am will be put in place in hotspot areas, while the curfew is 11pm to 4am for the rest of the country.
Public parks, including beaches, in KwaZulu-Natal will be closed on key festive public holiday dates such as December 16, 25, 26 and 31, and from January 1 to 3 January.
In the Eastern Cape public parks, including beaches, will be closed from December 16 to January 3.
Beaches in the Northern Cape and the Western Cape will remain open, but only between 9am and 6pm while beaches in the Garden Route District will also be closed between December 16 and January 3.
The sale of alcohol at retail stores will be allowed only between 10am and 6pm from Mondays to Thursdays, with the exception of registered wineries and wine farms which will be allowed to conduct wine tasting in the same hours including weekends.
Regarding the attendance of funerals, there will be a limit to a maximum of 100 people, with those attending expected to observe a distance of at least one and a half metres from each other, and if the venue is too small to hold people observing a distance of at least one and a half metres from each other, then no more than 50 percent of the capacity of the venue may be used.
Night vigils have also been prohibited alongside post-funeral gatherings such as after-tears gatherings while during a funeral people are required to wear a face mask and adhere to all health protocols and social distancing measures of at least one and a half metres from each other.
Gatherings at faith-based institutions are limited to 100 persons or less in case of an indoor gathering and 250 persons or less in case of an outdoor gathering, and if the venue is too small to hold 100 persons observing a distance of at least one and a half metres from each other, then not more than 50 percent of the capacity of the venue may be used.
Gatherings in social events will be limited to 100 people or less in an indoor gathering and 250 or less in an outdoor gathering while if the venue is too small to accommodate 100 people at a social distance of one and a half metres from each other no more than 50 percent of the venue’s capacity may be utilised.
Sports fans will have to wait a little longer until they are allowed back into sporting venues as the ban on supporters at stadiums is still in place.
Only members of the media, security personnel, emergency medical services, necessary employees employed by the owners, a required number of players, match officials, support staff and medical crew required for the sport match, are allowed at the venue of the match.
Political Bureau