Thread by @MbalulaFikile

Department of Transport measures related to the 21 Days Lockdown:

As the Minister of Transport, I am empowered by the Disaster Management Act Regulations to issue the following Directions.

THREAD:

#COVID19SouthAfrica

Rail

•All long-distance passenger rail services, both public and private, will stop operations for the duration of the lockdown. Services of Shosholoza Meyl, Premier Classe and Blue Train operated by PRASA and Transnet respectively, have already been suspended.

All commuter rail services will shut down for the duration of the lockdown. This includes all Metrorail and Gautrain services.

Aviation

•All international and domestic flights are prohibited, irrespective of the risk category of the country of origin.

•Only essential air cargo will be allowed. However, cargo from high risk country must be sanitized.

Maritime

•The ban on cruise ships calling at any of our Sea Ports will be strictly enforced.

•Essential cargo will be allowed at our 8 Sea Ports. However, cargo from high risk countries must be sanitized.

As part of the relief measures for small businesses in distress as announced by the President, those taxis that have been financed by the National Taxi Finance administered by the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA) will be granted a 3 months repayment holiday.

Minibus-Taxis will be allowed to transport essential services workers and those allowed to make the necessary permitted movements.

Transport movements in this regard will be allowed to operate from 05h00 to 09h00 and again from 16h00 to 20h00.

•Operators should put measures in place to adhere to social distancing in order to curb the spread of the virus.
•All minibus-taxis must be sanitized after every trip.
•All taxi ranks must be sanitized at regular intervals.
•Where appropriate, government will assistance.

Metered Taxis and e-Hailing vehicles must be sanitized after each journey.

The industry will take responsibility for this.

Where appropriate government will assist.

During the lockdown period most services rendered by our entities will be suspended. Vehicle Testing Centres and Drivers’ Licence Testing Centres (DLTCs) will be closed.

Should your drivers’ licence expire during the duration of the lockdown it shall be deemed to remain valid until the end of the lockdown, with the grace period of renewal within 14 working days thereafter unless otherwise determined.

In addition to the measures I have outlined, as a Minister of Transport, I am empowered by the Disaster Management Act Regulations to issue Directions.

I will therefore issue Directions covering the following areas:

•Limiting movement of allowed essential public transport to specific times.

•Movement of cross-border road transport.

•Closure of Vehicle Testing Centres and Drivers’ Licence Testing Centres (DLTCs).

•Expiry of drivers licenses.

We are encouraged by the positive response to the existing regulations by all stakeholders.

These include sanitization of taxis and surfaces by the taxi industry and initiatives by e-Hailing providers to assist with transportation relating to healthcare logistics.

Ends