Full list of what could be permitted under Level 3 lockdown

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday said government is proposing that most areas in the country move to alert level 3 at the end of May, but areas with high COVID-19 infections rates would remain on Level four. 

According to Ramaphosa, South Africa's hotspots are in a few metropolitan municipalities and districts.

"Some areas of the country may be designated at a particular alert level, while others may be designated at other levels. This would be done according to the rate of infection in an area and the state of readiness and the capacity of its health facilities to cope with treating infected people."

He said Level 3 would involve "a progressively greater relaxation of restrictions," in areas such as work and social activities. 

Recently, Police Minister Bheki Cele hinted that the National Coronavirus Command Council is in the view of downgrading the country's regulations.

South Africa is still under Level four of the lockdown. 

According to a draft document of Level three regulations, these are some of the changes that could be implemented:

Level Three: Permitted Retail and Service Operations; and Personal Movement

All COVID-19 health and safety protocols must be followed at all times, including observance of guidelines for social distancing, sanitation and hygiene, and use of appropriate personal protective equipment, like cloth face masks, as determined by the National Department of Health

People may travel to perform and acquire services only where such services cannot be provided from the safety of one’s home

A reference to a permitted level of employment must take into account the necessary social distancing guidelines as per the National Department of Health

In the document, when moving between levels, the green text means additions or changes from the prior level. For example, Level 4 adds forestry, logging and related services to Agriculture. It is now market in green in Level 4.

A. Agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing:

1. All agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing and related services permitted

B. Electricity, gas and water supply:

1. All electricity, gas and water supply

C. Manufacturing:

1. Manufacture of all retail products permitted to be sold under Level Three, and all input products, permitted scaling up to full employment, except where otherwise indicated;

2. Manufacture of paper and paper products, excluding stationery, permitted scaling up to full employment;

3. Manufacture of packaging, including glass, plastic bottles and containers, permitted scaling up to full employment;

4. Petroleum smelters, refineries and furnaces, permitted scaling up to full employment;

5. Manufacture of winter clothing, bedding and heaters, and all inputs required, permitted scaling up to full employment;

6. Automotive manufacturing, including components, scaling up in phases to 100% employment;

7. Stationery production, scaling up to 100% employment;

8. Cement and other construction material, scaling up to 100% employment;

9. Steel and other metal manufacturing, scaling up in phases to 100% employment;

10.Clothing, textiles and footwear, scaling up in phases to 100% employment;

11. Other chemicals manufacturing, scaling up in phases to 100% employment;

12. All other manufacturing, scaling up in phases to 50% employment;

D. Construction and related services (inc. tradespeople)

1. Civil engineering for public works projects (including water, energy, sanitation);

2. Critical public works construction; and

3. Road and bridge projects;

4. Other public works civil engineering projects;

5. Commercial building projects; and

6. Critical maintenance and repairs

E. Wholesale and retail trade, covering stores, spaza shops, eCommerce and informal traders:

1. Any food product, including non-alcoholic beverages and animal food;

2. Toilet Paper, sanitary pads, sanitary tampons, condoms;

3. Hand sanitiser, disinfectants, soap, alcohol for industrial use, household cleaning products, and personal protective equipment;

4. Products for the care of babies and toddlers;

5. Personal toiletries, including haircare, body and face care products, rollons, deodorants, dental care products;

6. Medical and Hospital Supplies, medicine, equipment and personal protective equipment;

7. Fuel, including coal, wood, paraffin and gas;

8. Airtime and electricity

9. Hardware, components and supplies for sale to the general public;

10. Stationery and all books;

11. Components for vehicles undergoing emergency repairs where such vehicle is used by a person engaged in essential services work;

12. Chemicals, packaging and ancillary products used in the production of any these products;

13. All household appliances;

14. All clothing, home textiles and footwear;

15. Tobacco products;

16. Personal ICT equipment including computers, mobile telephones and other home office equipment;

17. Motor vehicles sales, subject to Directions

18. Off-premises consumption of alcohol, subject to limited hours (Mon-Wed 8 – 12pm) and subject to an approved industry plan on social distance and quantitative restrictions. No consumption on premises.

F. Information and communication services:

1. All telecommunication services and infrastructure;

2. Information and Communication Technology services for all private and business customers;

3. Postal services and courier services (i.e. eCommerce) related to transport of retail goods, subject to directions

G. Media and entertainment services:

1. Online services;

2. Productions for local broadcast; and live streaming in support of COVID-19 subject to directions; and

3. Newspapers and broadcasting

F. Information and communication services:

1. All telecommunication services and infrastructure;

2. Information and Communication Technology services for all private and business customers;

3. Postal services and courier services (i.e. eCommerce) related to transport of retail goods, subject to directions

G. Media and entertainment services:

1. Online services;

2. Productions for local broadcast; and live streaming in support of COVID-19 subject to directions; and

3. Newspapers and broadcasting

H. Financial and business services:

1. Employees should work from home where possible;

2. Call centres, for local and all international markets, may operate subject to directions issues by the relevant cabinet members;

3. Essential financial services may operate subject to directions issues by the relevant cabinet member;

4. Commercial real estate permitted;

5. Private security services may operate;

6. Implementation of payroll systems;

7. Rental of motor vehicles, machinery and equipment, and of personal and household goods to support other Level Three services

8. Other professional services may operate only where work-from-home is not possible, and only to support other Level Three services

I. Accommodation and food service activities:

1. Accommodation not permitted, except for quarantine, essential services

2. Restaurants only for food delivery services (9am-8pm) and subject to curfew (no sit down or pick-up allowed)

J. Transport, storage and communication services:

1. Limited domestic air travel, with a restriction on the number of flights per day and authorisation based on the reason for travel and subject to the ports of entry arrangements

2. Ocean transport permitted only for the shipment of cargo;

3. Public rail, minibus taxi and bus services will resume at levels and on terms as will be set out in Directions, based on the progressive increase in commuter numbers during the various phases;

4. E-hailing services subject to restrictions on capacity and times, and for permitted activities only;

5. Transport and logistics in respect of specified cargo, and permitted retail goods to neighbouring countries, which shall include all goods imported via SA ports of entry, for re-export to neighbouring countries;

6. Essential imported goods will be prioritised through ports of entry and for transport and handling to final users. Directions will be issued in respect of other goods

K. Mining and quarrying:

1. All mining scaling up towards 100% employment

L. Repair and related emergency services:

1. Tow trucks and vehicle recovery services

2. Emergency repair work, including plumbers, electricians, locksmiths, glaziers, roof repair work

3. Emergency automobile repairs for all persons

M. Supply chains:

1. Production, manufacturing, supply, logistics, transport, delivery, critical maintenance and repair in relation to the rendering of permitted services including components and equipment;

2. All workplaces or premises must have care and maintenance that is essential to the prevention of the destruction or significant impairment of working areas, plant, machinery or inventory, or to permit orderly wind down arrangements, on such conditions as may be issued by means of directions by the relevant cabinet members

N. Private households employment:

1. Permitted to support all Level 3 personnel and live-in staff; and

2. Gardening and swimming pool services

O. Public administration, government services and other arms of the state:

1. Only essential government and administration services may operate, including:

a) Disaster management services;

b) Licensing, permitting and deeds offices, marriage certificates, birth and death certificates, and replacement identification documents;

c) Any other service designated by the Executive Authority, HODs,Heads of Courts, and Heads of other Chapter 9 Institutions

d) Essential municipal services;

e) Services related to the essential functioning of courts;

f) Essential SARS services defined by the Commissioner of SARS;

g) Police, peace officers, traffic officers, military medical personnel and soldiers, correctional services officials and traffic management services;

h) Services rendered by the Executive, members of Parliament, Members of the Provincial Legislature, Members of Local Councils, the Judiciary, traditional leaders and National Office Bearers of Political Parties represented in Parliament;

i) Commissioners of the South African Human Rights Commission, Gender Commission, the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities, the Public Protector and Deputy Public Protector and the Independent Electoral Commission

P. Health, social and personal services:

1. Medical and veterinary services permitted;

2. Cleaning, sanitation, pest control, sewerage, waste and refuse removal services;

3. Recycling of glass, paper & metal inc informal recyclers permitted at full capacity;

4. Laundry and dry-cleaning services permitted;

5. All Social work, counselling, care and relief activities permitted

6. Wildlife Management, Antipoaching, Animal Care and Veterinary services;

7. Funeral and cremation services, including mortuaries services and the transportation of mortal remains;

8. Trade union essential staff for workers covered by Level 3, subject to Directions

Q. Education services:

1. Permitted on dates and schedule set out separately

R. Personal Movement:

1. Interprovincial travel is not permitted except to return to work with proof of employment, in exceptional circumstances such as funerals (with approval) or essential services.

2. Stay at home, other than essential travel for work and to purchase essential goods.

3. No recreational travel or to meet friends or family.

4. Mandatory use of cloth masks (including home-made ones to cover nose and mask) and ensure hand hygiene when in public and at workplace.

5. Emergencies for medical reasons.

6. Those who have an exemption to travel for funerals

7. South Africans returning home and foreign nationals leaving South Africa

8. Elderly and persons with co-morbidities are encouraged to self-isolate and only leave home for exceptional reasons.

9. Social distancing (2m away from other persons) to be applied in public when, shopping, visiting health facilities (pharmacies, clinics etc),

10. Walking, jogging and cycling permitted

11. Social distancing when using public and private transport, as per transport guidelines

12. All public gatherings are prohibited.

13. Stores to ensure that there is temperature screening of patrons, hand sanitisers available and measures to facilitate social distancing. Where the number of customers cannot be accommodated at once then measures such a ticket system and defined limit of time in the store per customer should be implemented instead of the physical queuing of customers.

14. Curfews will be implemented between 8pm and 5am

Download the full draft document here or visit.