The Restaurant Association of South Africa (RASA) has come out in a sharp attack against President Ramaphose this afternoon, in anticipation of the President extending the current Level 4 Lockdown, in a speech which is expected this weekend.In its long media statement RASA calls on the Government to urgently allow restaurants to operate again. It supports this by stating that more than 1000 restaurants have closed down permanently since March last year, and more are expected during this current Level 4 Lockdown.
The owners and staff of Restaurants, Coffee shops, and Bars, and related suppliers, will be heading out to the streets twice this week, to protest to the Government and raise awareness about the poor treatment the Restaurant Industry, Tourism Industry, and Hospitality Trade is experiencing, the Curfew and ban on alcohol sales announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 12 July being the final straw for an industry that has been most discriminated against during Lockdown in our country. 
Today is a day of excitement as well as disappointment for restaurateurs, who have so looked forward to reopening their doors for a Sit-Down Service. The official reopening date is today, but sadly it appears that many restaurant doors will remain closed, restaurateurs citing the prohibition of serving alcohol with a meal, and this being the quietest time of the year for restaurants as the reasons why they will not reopen now, continuing with their Food and Alcohol Delivery and Collection Service. 
Just before midnight last night the Government released the updated Level 3 regulations for the businesses which are allowed to reopen, including Restaurants for Sit-Down Service, Personal Care businesses, theaters, cinemas, and casinos. Whilst the dreadful news that ‘on-site consumption of alcohol is prohibited’, seemingly not only in restaurants, is confirmed through the new regulations, Restaurateurs remain in the dark as to when Restaurants are allowed to reopen, and which regulations are to be followed. While theaters and cinemas have an attendance limit announced in the updated Level 3 regulations, they too do not have reopening dates. Should 1 July be the reopening date, Restaurants will have less than five days to get themselves organised and prepared for reopening!