Although we’ve moved to alert level 2, many of the level 3 restrictions are still being kept in place for businesses that serve food and alcohol to the public. Scorpion Legal Protection explains the rules for restaurants, bars and other food services under alert level 2.
The most obvious change to the regulations is that alcohol may be sold again under level 2, but only until 10pm. Tourism minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane emphasised that this goes for all establishments, including hotel bars.
With social distancing rules still in place, many people are confused about the number of people allowed to be in a restaurant. The minister has not given a specific number, rather she says that the space and capacity of each individual location must determine how many customers are allowed in. Different restaurants have different capacities and carry different space. The limit of 50 people only applies to gatherings like weddings, birthdays, conferences, etc.
With regard to the employees, restaurants, fast food outlets and coffee shops must keep a daily record of the full names, ID number or passport number, nationality, nature of position (i.e. temporary, casual or permanent), residential address, and cellphone numbers of all employees and delivery workers. Every employee and delivery person must be screened when they arrive for their shift and again when their shift is over, and they must be given masks to wear and hand sanitiser to use.
If restaurants offer takeaway food, there must be an area specifically for the collection of orders for delivery that is separate from the place where food is prepared, and there must be a contactless pickup zone for customers whose orders are ready to be collected.
For sit-down customers, social distancing rules must still be followed. Seating must be spaced out properly to ensure 1,5m between guests or customers. No buffets may be offered to guests for self-service – if there is a buffet, dishing up may only be done by food service employees only from behind Perspex or similar protective shields. Menus must be replaced with non-touch options or sanitised after each use, and when not eating or drinking, guests must wear masks. The restaurant has the right to refuse any customer entry if they show symptoms of Covid.
Tips
- Most of the level 3 restrictions remain in place
- Alcohol can only be served for on-site consumption until 10pm
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* This is only basic advice and cannot be relied on solely. The information is correct at the time of being sent to publishing