Restaurants and coffee shops around South Africa will open their doors today after being closed since the beginning of the national lockdown.
The minister of tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane on Friday (26 June) announced that restaurants will however have to adhere to rigorous rules before patrons will be allowed back into their establishments.
Some of the conditions laid out by the minister require strict social distancing (distanced 1.5-metres apart when seated) and sanitisation protocols to be followed. Customers will be required to complete a screening questionnaire upon entry and wear masks except when eating and drinking. No buffets should be available to guests for self-service and the consumption of alcohol will not be allowed on site.
Production support vouchers for Gauteng farmers
Farmers that are covid-19 relief fund beneficiaries will today receive production support vouchers from the Gauteng MEC for economic development, agriculture and environment, Morakane Mosupye.
This comes after minister Thoko Didiza announced the extension of the validity period of the relief fund vouchers. The vouchers were due to expire on 30 June 2020. In a statement released by her department on 24 June 2020, Didiza shared that their aim is to ensure that farmers and suppliers transact successfully without time pressure and that suppliers make available enough stock.
MEC Mosupye will be at the Rooival Agri Park in the city of Tshwane between 10h00 and 11h00, and then move to Eikenhof Agri Park in the city of Joburg where she will be between 13h00 and 14h00.
Also read: Farmers breathe a sigh of relief as covid-19 vouchers’ validity extended
Deeds offices open after undergoing decontamination
The Kimberley deeds office, compound building and provincial shared service center (PSSC) in the Northern Cape and magistrate court building will today reopen after temporarily closing due to positive covid-19 cases being reported at offices.
The department of rural development and land reform announced on 27 June on their Twitter page that the aforementioned offices had undergone decontamination. The offices were closed off for accessibility by employees and clients
Last week similar reports about the Office of the Chief Land Claims Commissioner (CLCC) and the departmental national office building in Pretoria were published. Both venues have since then opened.
Also read: Property transfers unlocked as deeds offices reopen
Agri writers team up to educate kids on covid-19 pandemic
Agricultural journalists have teamed up with an 11-year-old cartoonist and robot creator to birth a two-part covid-19 children’s story titled ‘Thandi and Captain Stay Safe’.
The show created to keep Mzansi’s kids informed about the covid-19 pandemic aired its first episode this morning. It features Food For Mzansi journalists Ivor Price, Kobus Louwrens, Dawn Noemdoe, Duncan Masiwa, Noluthando Ngcakani, Sinesipho Tom.
Thandi and Captain Stay Safe are two cartoon characters developed by Food For Mzansi and in the story the characters travel to various parts of South Africa to teach kids about the novel virus.
Other readers for the story include Stephanie Baartman (singer and actor), Solomon Cupido (actor and film director), Jan Louwrens, Monroe Rosant, Anna Louwrens, and Ronelle Louwrens (CEO of YehBaby Digital Creatives and Brand Managers).
