On 27 June 2021, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs announced that Adjusted Alert Level 4 regulations will apply from 28 June 2021.
The Retail Motor Industry is allowed to operate subject to:
-Strict adherence to health protocols and social-distancing measures;
-The phased-in return to work in order to implement COVID-19 measures;
-The return to work being done in such a manner that avoids and reduces the risk of infection;
Every business premises must determine its area of floor space in square metres and determine the number of customers and employees that may be inside the premises, subject to a limitation of 50 percent of the floor space, which includes customers and employees. The aforementioned is also subject to strict adherence to all health protocols including wearing face masks, sanitising and social distancing. An employer may not allow an employee to perform any duty or to enter the premises if the employee is not wearing a face mask.
Business owners should further take steps to ensure social distancing in queues of at least one and a half metres apart, provide hand-sanitisers to the public and employees, and assign an employee who must ensure compliance with the aforementioned measures.
Business owners should adopt social-distancing measures to promote physical distancing of employees, including:
-Enabling employees to work from home or minimising the need for employees to be physically present at the workplace (where possible);
-The provision of adequate space;
-Restrictions of face-to-face meetings;
-Special measures for employees with known or disclosed health issues or comorbidities, or any condition that may place such an employee at high risk of complications or death if they are infected with COVID-19;
-Special measures for employees who are above the age of 60 who are at risk of complications or death if they are infected with COVID-19.
Every person is confined to his or her place of residence from 21:00 until 04:00 daily unless a person has been granted permission through a permit which corresponds with Form 7 of Annexure A attached hereto. Businesses may not operate later than 20:00.
In addition to the above, members’ attention is drawn to the following provisions under Adjusted Alert Level 4:
-No person will be allowed to use or operate any form of public transport, enter a building or be in an open public space if he or she is not wearing a face mask;
-Interprovincial travel for leisure to and from Gauteng is prohibited;
-Travel to and from Gauteng is permitted for any persons carrying out work responsibilities or performing any service permitted under adjusted alert level 4 provided that such person has been granted permission through a permit which corresponds with Form 7 of Annexure A attached hereto;
-Gatherings at conferencing, exhibitions and entertainment facilities are prohibited until 11 July after which this provision will be reviewed;
-Gatherings at hotels, lodges, bed and breakfasts, timeshare facilities, resorts and guest houses are allowed subject to 50 percent of the capacity of the available rooms for accommodation, with patrons observing a distance of at least one and a half metres from each other when in common spaces;
-The 20 fully operational land borders and the 33 land borders which were closed, will remain as such;
-Rail, ocean, air and road transport is permitted for the movement of cargo to and from other countries and within the Republic, subject to national legislation;
-Bus and taxi services may carry 100 percent of its licensed capacity for trips not regarded as long-distance ( less than 200km) and no more than 70 percent for long-distance trips;
We remind members that all existing regulations preceding adjusted alert level 4 still needs to be complied with and urge our members to adhere to the provisions of the latest regulations.
We would also like to caution members that any person that contravenes these regulations is guilty of an offence on conviction and liable to a fine, or imprisonment, not exceeding 6 months or both.
We will provide further communication on updated regulations as and when they are published.
