In his national address delivered on 12 July 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa outlined government’s response to the current surge in COVID-19 infections in South Africa. Read together with the latest amendments to the regulations in terms of the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 (Regulations), the President’s address evinces a further shift in government’s Alert Level (AL) 3 strategy as, on the one hand, the scientific understanding of the virus progresses and, on the other, the state tries to mitigate the economic effects of the lockdown.
The strategy entails implementing stricter health protocols and enforcing compliance with these, while aiming to permit as much economic activity as possible. Most businesses will continue to operate as they have been thus far under AL3, subject to additional prescribed health and safety obligations. However, employers and property owners should be aware that the amended Regulations pose greater risks of liability for non-compliance than under their previous iteration.
Read more: B4SA guidance note