Covid-19: South Africa eases adjusted level 3 lockdown regulations!

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa announced in a national address on the national effort to contain the Covid-19 pandemic on 01 February 2021 that South Africa will relax many restrictions under the adjusted level 3 lockdown regulations. According to the President, the country has recorded its lowest daily increase in infections since the beginning December 2020, and that there are indications that South Africa has now passed the peake of the second Covid-19 wave. Due to the recent developments, the Cabinet of South Africa has decided to steadily ease a number of restrictions under adjusted Level 3.

• The hours of the curfew will now be from 23:00 to 04:00.
• Establishments will need to close by 22:00 to allow their customers and staff to return home by curfew.
• Faith-based gatherings will be permitted, subject to health protocols.
• Such gatherings may not exceed 50 people for indoor venues and 100 persons for outdoor venues. Where the venue is too small to accommodate these numbers with appropriate social distancing, then no more than 50 per cent of the capacity of the venue may be used.
• Public places such as beaches, dams, rivers, parks and public swimming pools will be reopened subject to health protocols.
• Restrictions on the sale of alcohol will be eased.
• The sale of alcohol by licensed premises for off-site consumption will be permitted from Mondays to Thursdays, from 10:00 to 18:00.
• Duty-free shops, registered wineries, wine farms, micro-breweries and micro-distilleries will be able to sell alcohol for off-site consumption during their normal licensed operating hours.
• The sale of alcohol by licensed premises for on-site consumption – such as restaurants and taverns – will be permitted throughout the week from 10:00 to 22:00.
  

Several prevention measures will remain in place:

• Social gatherings, political events, traditional council meetings and gatherings at sports grounds will not be permitted.
• This does not include religious gatherings and funerals and other limited exceptions as detailed in the regulations, such as restaurants, museums and gyms.
• Funerals may not be attended by more than 50 people, and there needs to be social distancing, hand sanitising and mask wearing.
• It remains compulsory for every person to wear a mask in a public space.