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The government is considering the reintroduction of a level 3 lockdown in parts of the country where an increase in coronavirus cases has been reported, the sunday time reports.
This comes after Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize met with local business and political leaders on Friday in Port Elizabeth.
While Mkhize said a decision had yet to be made, an ANC leader told the Sunday Times that interested parties had agreed to move the region back to a level 3 lockdown.
“The decision was well received even by the innkeepers. The minister’s initial thought was that we go to level 4. But the meeting reached a compromise that we would go to level 3, ”they said.
“This means that all taverns will have to close. There will be no drinks on site and a tighter curfew will be introduced.”
These decisions have yet to be confirmed by the government’s National Coronavirus Command Council.
Lock level 3?
South Africa entered lockdown level 3 in June for the first time, then moved to an ‘advanced’ version, which removed restrictions on restaurants and personal care businesses.
The top markers for lockdown level 3 included restrictions on on-site alcohol consumption, leisure travel, social visits, large meetings, and businesses with more than 100 employees.
Under these rules, people were not allowed to leave their homes except to travel to and from work, go shopping, exercise during established hours, or for emergencies. Hotels and lodgings were closed and domestic travel for leisure purposes was prohibited.
Gatherings were allowed in select cases, such as in places of worship, but were limited to 50 people or fewer. The sale of cigarettes and tobacco was also banned.
It is not yet clear which of the original restrictions, if any, will be reintroduced.
Nelson Mandela Bay Acting Mayor Thsonono Buyeye said the final decision will be announced next week. He confirmed that a 22:00 curfew and increased limits on social gatherings are two measures that are being considered.
Local lock
At a press conference on Thursday (Nov 26), Mkhize said that the idea of using ‘differentiated approaches’ for specific hotspot areas was first discussed in May and June of this year.
Under this approach, Mkhize said that the government will seek to introduce a “package of interventions” in these problem areas.
“In this case, the entire Nelson Mandela Bay will likely warrant additional restrictions, so we will go through a consultation just to look at the things we think will be important,” he said.
“I think when we see the numbers that we do now, we should start restricting the hours of movement, particularly the later activities (at night).
“We also have to look at the numbers in the hospitals to see the impact of the pressure induced by alcohol and start discussing issues about it.”
On Thursday, the Western Cape government said it is also considering local lockdown restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus in critical areas.
The province issued a “resurgence” warning this week, as the number of active cases has risen substantially from week to week.
Provincial Health Chief Dr. Keith Cloete said one of the only measures available to the Western Cape is whether it encourages public behavior to change dramatically.
“We will have to look and explore local restrictions. If people don’t behave in a way that helps us, we may have to be much tougher in the way we impose restrictions locally in the Western Cape, ”he said.
He said that by next week there will be more clarity on what exactly these restrictions will be.
“The prime minister and the cabinet have agreed that in the face of these growing infections it would be responsible to consider all the possibilities that can be done locally with the municipalities and to explore the appropriate application of the restrictions in the coming weeks and months. “
Read: Level 1 Lock Changes Planned for Travel in South Africa
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