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A leaked memorandum seen by City Press confirms our earlier reporting that President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Sunday announce a move from the current Level 1 lockdown restrains to a much stricter level 2 lockdown.
The memorandum, which appears to have been circulated following a meeting of the presidential coordinating council (PCC) addressed to cabinet, reveals that an earlier curfew is definitely on the cards.
The PCC is a body co-chaired by Ramaphosa and Deputy President, David Mabuza made up of all Ministers, Premiers and leadership of the South African Local Government Association.
Following its deliberation on a report from the command Council’s proposed new response to the pandemic, the PCC appears to have settled on a 11pm to 4am curfew instead of the current 12pm to 4am curfew.
Initially, City Press had been informed that the command council that met on Tuesday had recommended a 10pm to 6am curfew which appears to now have been overruled.
“Non-essential establishments [will now be expected] to close by 10pm,” reads the memo.
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The memo also urges employers “to ensure that permits are provided to all employees traveling for work purposes” during the curfew.
Other major changes will come in the form of further restrictions being implemented on gatherings.
Indoor gatherings are set to be reduced from the current 250 to 100 people while outdoor gathering will not only see 250 people being permitted to congregate in outdoors spaces - a significant reduction from the current 500 permitted in these spaces.
In cases where venues are too small, such places will only be allowed to accommodate 50% capacity.
Even under this new adjusted level 2 lockdown, faith based and political gatherings, will still be allowed provided they adhere to the new restrictions.
Only a 100 people will be permitted to attend funerals and the proceedings will be limited to only 2 hours.
Read: Covid-19: Harsh curbs coming
Night vigils or ‘after tears’, gatherings where those attending play music and drink alcohol after the burial, will not be allowed.
The PCC also requested Cabinet to consider applying a differentiated approach, depending on the provincial situation while also urging cabinet to strengthen messages around vaccines so as to counter “the negative messages and fake news around vaccination”.
These stricter lockdown measures come after the country has been experiencing a steady rise in Covid-19 infections, deaths and hospitalisations.
Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation at 7pm on tonight.
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