If you are stuck at home with a burst pipe, you can now call your plumber to come fix it. This is just one of the changes made to regulations governing the extended COVID-19 lockdown.
The announcement was made by the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma..
“Today, we’re not coming with many new regulations. We’re extending the regulations that exist because the lockdown was extended,” she explained.
This comes after President Ramaphosa extended the 21-day lockdown until the end of April to contain the spread of the virus.
“When we do stop the lockdown, we can’t do it abruptly. We have to phase it in so that there’s an orderly move towards what would be normality,” said Minister Dlamini-Zuma.
She, however, stressed that precautionary measures will remain beyond the lockdown to safeguard the health of the nation.
“It doesn’t mean that after the lockdown, everything will go back to normal.”
While some liquor associations have been calling for the President to lift the total ban on alcohol sales, Minister Dlamini-Zuma said the only alcohol that’s permitted to be transported is the one that is used for commercial use, such as sanitisers, and health and related-issues.
“But the liquor that we drink is not allowed to be exported, in the same way that it’s not allowed to be sold,” she told the nation.
Social regulations: co-parenting, funerals
As far as co-parenting goes, a parent would need to be in possession of either a court order or papers from a family advocate in order to be able to move a child or children from one parent’s house to another.
“If you don’t have these, you must at least have a birth certificate that shows the connection between you and the child/children you’re fetching or moving.”
In addition to that, plumbers and electricians are now considered essential service providers.
“If you have a burst pipe or something goes wrong with your electricity, you should be able to call a professional plumber or electrician to come to sort that out.”
Minister Dlamini-Zuma also told the nation that the funeral guidelines remain the same.
“You still need a death certificate or a copy, and you go to a magistrate’s court or a police station to get permission to travel to another province.”
For those who may not have sufficient time to obtain a death certificate, an affidavit is good enough for them to go bury their loved one.
However, she emphasised that the number of mourners at a funeral still remains at 50.
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