South Africa on Friday entered phase 4 of lockdown, after being in phase 5 for 35 days. As part of phase 4, 1.5 million people will be allowed to return to work and there will be a one-off movement of people. Below is a statement from the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on how this process will work…

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has in terms of section 27(2)(f) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002) and after consultation with relevant Cabinet members, issued directions in the schedule relating to the once off movement of persons in line with Regulation 16 (5), which provides that:

a) Any person who was not at their place of residence, or work before the lockdown period and who could not travel between provinces, metropolitan and district areas during the lockdown, will be permitted, on a once-off basis, to return to their places of residence or work and will be required to stay in such place until the end to the Alert Level 4”.

FOR MORE ON COVID-19 VISIT: https://www.cnbcafrica.com/covid-19/

The purpose of these directions is to regulate the once-off movement of persons who were not at their place of residence or work before the lockdown period and who could not travel between provinces, metropolitan and district areas during the lockdown, and are permitted in terms of regulation 16(5), on a once-off basis, to return to their places of residence or work.

READ: This is how phase 4 will work in SA

People who wish to make use of the provision in terms of regulation are permitted to do so during the period 1 May 2020 to 7 May 2020.

For this purpose, there will be no need for people to obtain and produce a permit in order to cross provincial, metropolitan or district boundaries.  

The security structures will however put measures in place to ensure those who make use of the window will do so once-off, and one-way only.

Minister urges all South Africans to recognise the unprecedented crisis facing the country due to COVID-19 and to use the opportunity provided for once off travel responsibly by still adhering to the lockdown regulations.

The Minister has also urges South Africans to unite and work together to defeat this pandemic.

Link to the Directions: https://bit.ly/2ycONXW