The Minister of COGTA has amended the COVID-19 regulations to reinforce the national response. The amendments allow limited inter-provincial travel for funeral attendance by close family members and require a permit. Transport services have also been amended to allow commuter services at reduced capacity, and regulations have been introduced to develop a national COVID-19 tracing database including test results and known contacts of infected individuals. Other changes allow all spaza shops and informal food vendors to operate with permits.

1. Amendments to the COVID-19 Regulations
In a quest to reinforce the national response and following extensive consultations with the Ministers
responsible for the COVID-19 interventions and the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC), the
Minister of COGTA, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, have gazetted further amendments to the Regulations
on the COVID-19 lockdown. These changes are the following:
Funeral regulations amendments
• The amendments allow certain individuals to move between provinces and, metropolitan and
district areas for purposes of transporting a body for burial purposes.
• The amendment also limits the individuals who are permitted to travel to funerals. The
regulation now outlines a process for persons who wish to travel between provinces, or
between metropolitan and district areas to attend a burial or cremation to obtain a permit.
It further determines that only the following persons, who live outside a province or metropolitan and
district areas, may attend a funeral:
(i) spouse or partner of the deceased;
(ii) children of the deceased, whether biological, adopted or stepchildren.
(iii) children-in-law of the deceased;
(iv) parents of the deceased whether biological, adopted or stepparents;
(v) siblings, whether biological, adopted or stepbrother or sister of the deceased;
(vi) grandparents of the deceased; and
(vii) persons closely affiliated to the deceased.
The current prohibition of 50 persons attending a funeral is still in operation. The holding of night vigils
is still prohibited.
The permit may be obtained from: A Magistrate who is the head of office or a station commander of a
police station or a person designated by him or her;
In order to obtain a permit: A Magistrate who is the head of office or a station commander of a police
station or a person designated by him or her must be provided with a death certificate or a certified
copy of a death certificate;
It is important to note that: A permit holder may stay at a hotel, lodge or guest house for the duration
of the funeral or cremation. The permit must be presented to the owner or manager of the hotel, lodge
or guest house.

2. Transport regulations amendments
(1) All commuter transport services are prohibited, except bus services, taxi services, e-hailing services
and private motor vehicles necessary for purposes of rendering essential services, obtaining essential
goods or services, seeking medical attention, funeral services and for collecting payment of grants and
pensions: Provided that—
(a) bus services and e-hailing services shall not carry more than 50% of the licensed capacity;
(b) taxi services shall not carry more than 70% of the licensed capacity; and
(c) private vehicles shall not carry more than 60% of the licensed capacity, and that all directions in
respect of hygienic conditions and the limitation of exposure of persons to COVID-19, are adhered to.
Amendment of tracing contacts
The National Department of Health shall develop and maintain a national database to enable the tracing
of persons who are known or reasonably suspected to have come into contact with any person known
or reasonably suspected to have contracted COVID-19.
(3) The COVID-19 Tracing Database shall include all information considered necessary for the contact
tracing process to be effective, including but not limited to:
(a) the first name and surname, identity or passport numbers, residential address and other address
where such person could be located, and cellular phone numbers of all persons who have been tested
for COVID19;
(b) the COVID-19 test results of all such persons; and
(c) the details of the known or suspected contacts of any person who tested positive for COVID-19.
This regulation will allow government to trace the cell phone of the people who are positive from Covid-
19. This will allow medical staff to see who the person positive came in contact with.
Other amendments
• All Spaza shops can stay open, informal food vendors can now also trade provided they have a
permit
• Home Affairs Department: All borders are still closed, except for essential goods, the changes
are: (a)that they will allow fuel, cargo and goods during the period of lockdown and (b) The
Minister of Home Affairs or a person designated by him or her, may allow a person to enter or
exit the Republic for emergency medical attention for a life-threatening condition, or for a South
African, or foreign national to be repatriated to their country of nationality or permanent
residence.