This week and to a greater extent Today has been filled with uncertainty and a myriad of questions that none of us ever needed to answer before the President’s Speech.
Chief among them were questions relating to whether or not your businesses would be deemed to be essential services.
I have finally, received a copy of the Published Regulations which are to take effect during the Lockdown and while it is impossible to summarize all of the contents, I am highlighting the following:
Restrictions:
With the exception of Business who render Essential Services and are necessary for the production of Essential Goods, all businesses and venues must remain closed for the duration of the lockdown. No movement of people between provinces or municipal areas will be allowed.
Essential Services and Goods:
I will not repeat the exhaustive lists as they appear in the attached document here, however the CCMA Essential Services List (Previously Communicated) as well as those listed in Annexure B of the attached document (Pages 8 and 9) are the defined Essential Services during the Lockdown. Furthermore, the list of Essential Goods can be found on Page 8, also under Annexure A.
Allowed Travel:
With the exception of the well-publicized exemptions relating to the procurement of Essential Services and Goods (Food, Medical Attention etc.), only travel for the purposes of rendering an Essential Service shall be allowed. Such person will be required to prove that he/she is engaged in rendering an Essential Service by virtue of a letter which complies with the Permit contained in Annexure C of the attached document (Pages 9 and 10) and must contain an official stamp from the institution which issued it and be signed by the Head of the Institution (While this may be delegated, it is noted that such delegation may only occur in a complex business and should be done formally and in writing in terms of Regulation 11B(2)). Further mention is herewith made of the fact that where company transport is used, such transport occupancy may not exceed 50% of the licensed capacity during this time.
Penalties:
Penalties for not complying with these regulations include fines and imprisonment.
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