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The strange lockdown rules South Africans now need to follow when eating at restaurants

The Department of Tourism has published new rules regarding the reopening of sit-down restaurants, casinos, conferences, and hotels.

This directive provides detailed instructions which must be followed by restaurants and other businesses upon resuming operations in South Africa.

According to the regulations, the following businesses may reopen immediately:

Restaurants, fast food outlets and coffee shops
Lodges, bed and breakfast, timeshare facilities and resorts and guest houses
Self-drive excursions
Conference and meeting venues
Casinos
This is in line with recent statements made by Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, who outlined the basic rules which must be followed by restaurants when they reopen.

The new regulations provide more information on what steps customers and staff must take when working or dining at a restaurant.

Some of these rules are unusual for restaurant operations, including the limitation of plating to single portions and the removal of tablecloths from tables.

Unusual restaurant rules
The full list of directives which restaurants must comply with when resuming operations is listed below.

Restaurants, fast food outlets and coffee shops must keep a daily record of the full names, ID number or passport number, nationality, nature of the position (i.e. temporary, casual or permanent), residential address, and cell phone numbers of all employees and delivery persons.
Ensure that every employee and delivery person is screened on arrival for shifts and on departing after shifts.
Provide employees with masks to wear and hand sanitiser.
Ensure that an area is demarcated for the collection of orders for delivery that is separate from the place where food is prepared.
Ensure that a contactless pickup zone for customers whose orders are ready to be collected is designated.

Sit-down restaurants must conduct a screening questionnaire and take precautionary measures to protect the person and other persons on the premises. Such measures may include denying such a person access to the premises.
Ensure that customers or guests wear masks at all times while they are on their premises except when eating or drinking.
Ensure that customers or guests queue at least one and a half meters apart behind each other or sideways.
Remove excess chairs /stools and tables or tables combined to enlarge the floor space while reducing and spreading seat capacity to enforce distancing of one and a half meters between guests or customers.

Consider a reservation system to manage demand, and help ensure that capacity limits are adhered to.
No buffets may be offered to guests for self -service.
Food may only be plated and/or provided in covered single portions.
Guests may pick up pre-portioned items and any other buffet service should be handled by food service employees only from behind Perspex or similar protective shields.
Menus must be replaced with non -touch options or sanitised after each guest use.
Where possible and for instance, while taking orders, waiting staff must stand at least a meter from tables.
Where possible, tablecloths should be removed from tables. Only essential items such as salt and pepper, should remain on tables and be sanitised after each guest.

Remove excess chairs /stools and tables or tables combined to enlarge the floor space while reducing and spreading seat capacity to enforce distancing of one and a half meters between guests or customers.
Items on waiting stations must be minimised.
Clearing and cleaning systems with designated containers for different items and sealable refuse containers for food waste must be implemented and used.
Businesses that will remain closed under level 3 lockdown include gyms and fitness centres, night clubs, unlicensed accommodation, conference facilities, bars and taverns, and public beaches and parks.

Regulations published last week stated that all people who are able to work from home must do so.

“However, persons will be permitted to perform any type of work outside the home, and to travel to and from work and for work purposes under Alert Level 3, subject to strict compliance with health protocols and social distancing measures and the return to work being phased-in in order to put in place measures to make the workplace COVID-19 ready,” the regulations stated.

A summary of the businesses that will be allowed to reopen and their restrictions are below:

Activity Restrictions
Cinemas Limited to 50 persons or less, depending on size.
Sale of tickets through a booking system.
Strict adherence to health protocols and social distancing.
Theatres Limited to 50 persons or less, depending on size.
Maximum of 15 performers and crew.
Strict adherence to health protocols and social distancing.
Casinos Limited to 50 persons or less, depending on size.
Strict adherence to health protocols and social distancing.
Sporting activities Non-contact sports matches, which may only include players, match officials, journalists, medical and television crew.
Contact sports for training only.
Museums, galleries, libraries, and archives Strict adherence to health protocols and social distancing.
Personal care services Limited to 50 persons or less, depending on size.
Hairdressing, beauty treatments, make-up and nails salons and piercing and tattoo parlours, as identified in directions by the responsible Cabinet member.
Restaurants Strict adherence to health protocols and social distancing.

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