South African Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane on Thursday announced a number of new lockdown rule changes as well as relief plans for the tourism sector that include allowing sit-down restaurants to work for an extra hour until 10 p.m, reported Reuters.
The government had previously allowed sit-down restaurants to reopen last month after coronavirus restrictions were eased, but it restricted opening hours to 9 p.m. (1900 GMT) and banned alcohol sales. Last week, restaurant and bar owners, along with their employees came out on streets to demand an end to the curfew and permission to sell alcohol.
“We believe that this change will go a long way towards increasing their revenue generation,” Kubayi-Ngubane said.
However, the sale of alcohol still remains prohibited and the date for the new rules to take effect is unclear as regulations need first to be published.
The South African government has also given a nod to ease the restrictions around leisure travel, allowing individuals to leave their homes for leisure within the province where they live.
The tourism minister said accommodation establishments will be able to take in people for leisure purposes only within their provinces, while tour operators will be allowed to conduct guided tours in open safari vehicles subject to certain rules. Inter-provincial travel for leisure is still prohibited. Short-term home rental or sharing accommodation such as Airbnb remains prohibited.
“The impact of the pandemic has been devastating for the sector. Many businesses are at risk and many jobs have already been lost. However, we are doing everything we can to ensure that the impact is minimized,” Kubayi-Ngubane said.
The South African minister said the new lockdown rule changes were made after consultations made with the cabinet and the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC). She said an official gazette detailing these changes and the official implementation date will be published shortly.
