After, what feels like a never-ending lockdown, the year ends on a weary yet slightly positive note.
The South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa has extended the National State of disaster by another month. Along with this news, Ramaphosa declared a few other important points that are significant to all South Africans, these include:
1. The National State of disaster is extended with the curfew remaining in place.
The State of disaster is set to end on the 15th of December 2020 with focus remaining on the restrictions relating to hand hygiene, social distancing, face masks as well as social gatherings being enforced.
The curfew restriction remains from midnight to 4am, only exceptions being for the need of urgent medical attention or to perform an essential service.
2. The COVID-19 relief grant is extended.
The special COVID-19 relief grant is to be extended a further 3 months, until January 2021. Hopefully good news as the economic affects the restrictions and the lockdown have left our country wounded.
This will provide much needed income to around 6 million people who are unemployed and do not receive any other form of government grant,
President Cyril Ramaphosa.
3. International travel restrictions eased.
This is on condition that person’s traveling can produce a negative COVID-19 certificate.
4. Alcohol retail hours returned to normal.
Alcohol retail sales are returning to pre-lockdown times. This is done with inference to our social habits as we all enjoy getting together with mates,
cracking open an ice cold beverage and chill, whether in groups at home at a braai or in public spaces, this behavior increases our risk to COVID-19 and most often circles alcoholic beverages.
There are clear stats indicating the inordinate number of alcohol related casualties resulting in good resources that are needed for Coronavirus patients being used up or occupied by silly drunken mishaps.
Please be safe as we cannot afford to waste what little our country has to fight this pandemic.
Contact us. Let us help you, your family and your business stay safe as the second wave creeps closer.
