Picture: 123RF/BREIZ HATAO
Business Day was informed that the health department has recommended to the national coronavirus command council, the body set up to advise the cabinet on measures to deal with the spread of the pandemic, that the maximum size of indoor gatherings be reduced and an earlier curfew put in place. The limited nature of the new restrictions is a sign that the government recognises the need to tread lightly to try to avoid another lockdown, with the last one having led to a loss of more than 2-million jobs in the second quarter.
In November, Ramaphosa announced that level 1 regulations would be amended to allow for borders to be opened to all tourists and allow for normal trading hours for the sale of alcohol. The tourism and alcohol sectors were able to start operating at full capacity after eight months of strict regulations, which cost those industries billions of rand.