FILE PHOTO: "Sorry we're closed due to COVID-19" read a sign outside a popular watering hole. PICTURE: iStock
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JOHANNESBURG: The latest restrictions include a ban on liquor sales, the fourth since the end of March 2020.
The latest lockdown regulations have left many people vulnerable and without a stable income during the devastating third wave of COVID-19 infections.
Government, Nedlac and business have on Monday agreed to extend the COVID-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) to those affected by the level 4 lockdown.
The agreement is now awaiting Cabinet approval.
The latest restrictions include a ban on liquor sales, the fourth since the end of March 2020, as well as prohibition on dining, gatherings and leisure travel in and out of the Gauteng province.
The rules have left many people vulnerable and without a stable income during the devastating third wave of COVID-19 infections.
“It’ll basically be the same framework as the previous two years. But just for these sectors and it’ll go to Cabinet this week. Hopefully, all the paperwork will be done in the next few days and then we expect applications to start within two weeks and then within a week, money should be going through,” said Cosatu’s Mathew Parks.
Parks has appealed to people to apply: “People should apply because what we saw last year was that as time progressed, less and less companies and workers applied and there is money available.
“So, I would hope that despite all the bureaucracy and the hassles, and the nightmares people do apply. Despite all the chaos, five million workers did receive money, totalling about R60 billion, and that’s a huge amount of money.”
Industries such as hospitality, tourism and liquor have been hard hit by ongoing COVID-related lockdowns in South Africa since last year.
