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Not much has changed when it comes to the regulations imposed on private vehicles during the lockdown.

Only two people are allowed to be in one car when driving from a private residence to the shops or pharmacy to pick up essential items.

That is unless those in the vehicle meet one of the emergency requirements that would allow them to leave their households.

If you need clarification on when you can leave your home, here’s a comprehensive guideline to the lockdown rules and regulations. 

The Department of Transport has now published new regulations to expand on the original guidelines regarding how public transport would be operating during the 21 days of lockdown.

For a full list of how many people can be carried in a minibus and private vehicle at any one time, see here, but this via BusinessTech:

• A minibus licensed to carry 10 passengers, is limited to carry a maximum of 7 passengers;
• A minibus licensed to carry 15 passengers, is limited to carry the maximum of 10 passengers;
• A midibus permitted to carry a maximum of 22 passengers, is limited to carry a maximum of 15 passengers.
• A vehicle licenced to carry up to 4 passengers is limited to carrying 50% of their permissible passenger-carrying capacity.

Now, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has announced plans to hand out surgical masks or N95 masks to taxi drivers and passengers.

The shortage of masks in South Africa raised some questions about where taxi drivers would acquire them. eNCA says that government will be supplying them, and health Minister Zweli Mkhize clarified things:

According to Mbalula, “There are plans to get masks out in the taxis and we’re being supported in this regard, masks will be given to taxis and passengers. We want to demonstrate what we mean when we talk about compliance and no compromise.”

Read this for more on the correct way to use, wear, and dispose of a mask. 

According to BusinessTech, other updates to driving regulations include a grace period of up to 30 days after the end of lockdown for driver’s licenses and other types of vehicle licences.

This includes an extension of the validity period for learner’s licenses, the motor vehicle license disk, temporary permits and professional driving permits. Furthermore:

The validity period for the renewal of a motor trade number licence during the lockdown, shall be deemed to be valid and shall be extended fora further grace period of 6 months from the date of expiry of a lockdown period unless determined otherwise by the minister.

All driving and testing centres will remain closed throughout lockdown, and will only resume operations once the lockdown period is over.

[sources:enca&businesstech&departmentoftransport]