[imagesource: AFP via Getty Images]

Guess who’s back, back again?

Curfew’s back, tell a friend.

Yes indeed, last night’s address by President Cyril Ramaphosa saw the reinstatement of a national curfew between 9PM and 4AM, along with other changes such as the immediate banning of alcohol sales.

The curfew kicks in tonight at 9PM.

There have also been changes to the regulations around the wearing of face masks.

The curfew mentioned above doesn’t mean that nobody can be out between those hours, but those who are will require a permit, according to the directive published by minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

You can see the directive in full here, but this is a screenshot showing the permit that people performing essential services, or other permitted services, will need to produce if stopped by authorities:

Oh, you snuck out to a friend’s place for a boozy dinner and have been nabbed on the way home? Unlucky.

Should have met them at a casino, or at a religious gathering, you heathen.

Ramaphosa said the curfew was put in place to reduce the immense amount of stress our hospital and healthcare sector is under.

On that front, the respite will be welcomed, but the decision to reinstate the alcohol ban comes with other dire consequences.

Tom Eaton’s tweets from last night:

Given that we’re not going to have a summer tourist season, the alcohol ban is surely the end for most SA wine-growers and restaurateurs.

— Tom Eaton (@TomEatonSA) July 12, 2020

“None of us stands alone.” Well, unless you’re a restaurateur or a waiter or a worker on a wine farm. If you’re one of them, you’re completely fucked.

— Tom Eaton (@TomEatonSA) July 12, 2020

We need to take drastic measures to save lives, but some of the regulations in place are contradictory at best, and downright nonsensical if you’re being more critical.

Despite that, the basics around reducing the risk of contracting or transmitting the virus remain the same, so it’s full steam ahead with face masks and handwashing and all the other ‘new normals’.

[source:cogta]