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In a Live broadcast at 14h00 this afternoon Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane announced a significant step forward for the beleaguered restaurant industry, in that the Corona Lockdown Curfew start has been shifted to 22h00, to give restaurants and their customers a full dinner service, as soon as this regulation amendment has been gazetted. The ban on the sale of Alcohol sadly has not yet been lifted.<\/p>\n
The Minister also addressed the Leisure accommodation industry, allowing intra-provincial Leisure Travel, permitting the use of open Safari vehicles, as well as presenting an update on Tourism relief payouts. She announced that work is being done on a Tourism Recovery Strategy. She concluded her speech by encouraging a more active participation by women in the Tourism sector, which \u2018embraces women as equally capable economic actors\u2019!\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n
This is the first time that the Government has put the Restaurant industry first, in shifting the Curfew time for the benefit of this industry specifically.<\/p>\n
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The Tourism Minister\u2019s Speech follows:<\/p>\n
\u2018Statement by Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane \u2013 Tourism related activities under COVID-19 Risk Adjusted Level 3 and response measures<\/i><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\n30 July 2020<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nSince the country entered level 3 of the Risk-Adjusted Strategy, the tourism sector also began its march towards full operation. The reality of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fluctuating risk of the virus spread has dictated that we pace ourselves in our efforts to reopen the sector. However, we believe that so far, one step at a time, we are walking in the right direction.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nThe impact of the pandemic has been devastating for the sector. Many businesses are at risk and many jobs have already been lost. However, we are doing everything we can to ensure that the impact is minimised.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nOver the last four months, we\u2019ve had to work hard in partnership with the private sector to develop health and safety protocols and find innovative ways for the early reopening of the sector. Successive discussions with industry representatives on stringent prevention protocols and guidelines for the tourism sector yielded results, along the way with various sub-sectors and activities opening under levels 3 and 4.\u00a0 This included restaurants, accommodation establishments, casinos, hiking, self-drives at game farms and professional services. Domestic travel for business purposes was also allowed as of June first.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nFollowing discussions about the current risk levels, the national Coronavirus Command Council recommended to Cabinet for some restrictions to be eased to allow more tourism activities to reopen. Cabinet has approved the following:<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nRestaurants<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nIn our recent discussions with the Restaurant sector, two issues were raised with regards to current regulations. One was the crippling effect of the nine o\u2019clock curfew to restaurant business operations and the second was the issue alcohol sale.<\/i><\/div>\nTo comply with the current curfew regulation, restaurants are unable to serve dinner to their customers which means that they are unable to operate at peak time of their business day. In response to this challenge, Cabinet has agreed to move the curfew to start at 10pm to allow for uninterrupted dinner service at restaurants. We believe that this change will go a long way towards increasing their revenue generation.<\/i><\/div>\nThe sale of alcohol remains prohibited.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nAccommodation for leisure<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nCabinet has also agreed to ease the restrictions around leisure travel. Currently, individuals are not allowed to leave their homes for leisure purposes. After the release of the new regulations, individuals will be permitted to leave their homes for leisure purposes within the province where they currently live. Let me emphasize, it is only Intra-provincial travel not inter-provincial travel. Individuals are still not permitted to travel between provinces for leisure purposes.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nAccordingly, this change has implications for accommodation facilities that are permitted to operate under level 3.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\n\u2022 Accommodation establishments are now permitted to operate for leisure intra-provincially subject to the following: –<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\n\u27a2 No more than two people per room except for a nuclear family (parents and their children).\u00a0 Establishments are already legally obliged to require and keep a copy of proof of identity.<\/i><\/div>\n\u27a2 Short-term home rental\/sharing remain closed.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nTour operators<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nTour operators, in the new regulations, will be allowed to conduct Guided Tours in Open Safari Vehicles subject to directions and includes provision for both social distancing and maximum ventilation.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nThese changes will come into effect as soon as the new regulations are gazzeted.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nSince the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic with have been having regular interaction with various stakeholders. These interactions, which are almost on a weekly basis, have helped us to gather inputs from all stakeholders on \u00a0how best to reopen the sector and support the recovery going forward.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nThese interactions have also helped to share information regarding how our government is managing the pandemic. Going forward we will invite health practitioners who are advising government on how best to manage the pandemic to meet with our sector so that together as we strategise on the way forward, we are armed with all the necessary information.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nWe have also agreed to formalise our working relationship with sector player through a formation of a task team that brings together a broad spectrum of private sector players and officials from the department to work towards reopening the sector and resolving other sector challenges.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nRELIEF AND RESPONSE MEASURES<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nIn supporting the tourism sector in this crisis period, the Department of Tourism redirected R200 million through the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF). Of the 7284 valid applications submitted, our resources could only assist 4 000 businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nAllocation of funds was conducted in line with government policies and ensured that there was equitable share of the resources across all regions of the country, including rural areas and small towns\/dorpies.\u00a0 We are encouraged by the many letters of appreciation from patriotic South Africans, black and white, who did not listen to the misleading noise that the relief was specifically for Black people. This ultimately confused and discouraged even those who qualified for the grant not to apply.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nPROVINCIAL BREAKDOWN<\/i><\/div>\n<\/div>\nCount of AppNr<\/i><\/div>\nEastern Cape<\/i><\/div>\n457<\/i><\/div>\nFree State<\/i><\/div>\n134<\/i><\/div>\nGauteng<\/i><\/div>\n1017<\/i><\/div>\nKwaZulu Natal<\/i><\/div>\n607<\/i><\/div>\nLimpopo<\/i><\/div>\n294<\/i><\/div>\nMpumalanga<\/i><\/div>\n238<\/i><\/div>\nNorth West<\/i><\/div>\n162<\/i><\/div>\nNorthern Cape<\/i><\/div>\n124<\/i><\/div>\nWestern Cape<\/i><\/div>\n967<\/i><\/div>\nGrand Total<\/i><\/div>\n4000<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\n\nWe regret that a total of 3284 applications were not funded due to depletion of resources, despite the fact that some qualified. Reasons for non-approval ranged from enterprises with an annual turnover R5 million and above, non-tourism enterprises, enterprises not covered under the TRF guidelines like franchise restaurants, applications with outstanding mandatory document such as a valid tax certificate and those without supporting documents. Letters detailing the reasons for unfavourable considerations are being prepared and will be issued to all unfunded applicants soon.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nRELIEF FUNDING FOR TOUR GUIDES<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nA month ago I announced that we have set aside R30 million to provide financial relief for freelance tourist guides over a period of two to three months. The processing of payments has taken longer due to some provincial offices closing down after they had positive COVID-19 cases.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nWe have since received a list of 9380 tourist guides from the Provinces. It has come to our attention that some of the tour guides are registered with UIF. To avoid double-dipping, we have initiated a verification process to ensure that only those who are not receiving income benefit.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nThe first batch of payments to 1378 verified eligible beneficiaries have been made. The second batch will be paid upon completion of the verification process. The verification process will be completed tomorrow, on 31 July 2020.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nOther Government relief measures<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nIn addition, we welcome the decision by the Minister of Finance to review and change the qualifying criteria for the R 200 billion COVID-19 Loan Guarantee Scheme, so that more businesses can gain access to the funds. We encourage businesses in our sector to exploit this opportunity.<\/i><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\n\nSimilarly, we welcome the announcement by Minister Nxesi of the extension of the Temporary Employer\/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS), until 15 August. This will go a long way for many businesses and employees.<\/i><\/div>\n\u200b<\/i><\/div>\nRecovery plan<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nIn the past three months we have been working on developing a tourism recovery strategy. In this regard, the CEO of SAT working with the team from the department have been gathering inputs from the sector through a series of webinars, some of which I personally participated and also received written inputs from the sector players. This work has culminated in a draft Tourism Recovery Plan document. Let me take this opportunity to thank the team that worked hard to produce this document, SAT CEO Mr Sisa Ntshona and his team and the team from the department led by DDG Aneme Malan.<\/i><\/div>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\nIn light of every evolving Covid-19 situation, I have decided to release the draft plan for further consultation to all the stakeholders and the general public before we finalise for submission to cabinet. The window for making inputs will start the on 01 August 2020 when I release the document until 15 August 2020.<\/i><\/div>\n