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- The district attorney claims that Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma “overruled” the president by issuing a new national closing time of 9pm for stores.
- But it seems that the party is confusing segments of the regulations, which were intended only for critical areas.
- Cogta confirmed that the 10pm closing time still applies to the rest of the country.
On Saturday, the Prosecutor’s Office issued a statement claiming that the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, undermined President Cyril Ramaphosa by unilaterally issuing a new national closing time of 9:00 p.m. for the establishments.
However, it appears that the party is confusing segments of the regulations, which were intended only for critical areas.
The curfew in the active zones is at 22:00 and bars, restaurants and other establishments must close one hour before.
In the rest of the country, the curfew is at 23:00 and bars and restaurants close at 22:00.
READ | A 10 p.m. curfew for SA’s Covid-19 hotspots and new alcoholic beverage restrictions, NCCC recommends
This was confirmed by Cogta spokesman Lungi Mtshali on Saturday, who told News24 that Dlamini-Zuma had changed nothing.
“The 9pm regulation refers to and applies to hotspot areas, as announced by the president,” Mtshali said.
Mtshali said that the closure of establishments at 22:00 still holds for the rest of the country.
He said it has always been the case, since the announcement, that establishments in hotspot areas would close at 9:00 p.m.
However, DA MP Dean Macpherson was unconvinced and said the government had “screwed up.”
“Let me guess? They say 9:00 PM is for the hotspot areas?” he said over the phone.
Macpherson said there was no distinction for hotspot areas in the regulations published in the government bulletin.
“Where does it say that in the regulations? There is no distinction in the regulations. It is just an excuse and they realized that they were wrong. It is deliberate. Law enforcement is enforcing a closure at 9:00 pm,” he said.
It had initially claimed in a statement that Dlamini-Zuma decided to “invalidate” Ramaphosa through amended regulations published in the government bulletin on Thursday.
“A minister must not be allowed to advance his own agendas through regulations as we have seen over and over again. That is why I have written to Dlamini-Zuma and the president requesting an urgent response as to why the time of close in this caviller [sic] way and hopefully they will amend it at 22:00.
“Establishments like restaurants need every hour they can to make up for the harsh and brutal blockade they have been subjected to this year.”
Earlier this week, Ramaphosa tightened regulations and closed beaches in the middle of the country struggling with a second wave of Covid-19. Ramaphosa said: “On-site alcohol consumption in licensed establishments is not allowed after 10pm. Alcohol consumption is not allowed in public spaces, such as parks and beaches.
“The curfew is meant to avoid meetings that last late into the night, while allowing restaurants, bars and taverns to continue to operate and earn income.” Nelson Mandela Bay, the Garden Route District in the Western Cape, and Sarah Baartman’s District in the Eastern Cape have been identified as critical areas for Covid-19.
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