As part of the stringent measures to stop the spread of the Coronavirus announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday. The Minister of Small Businesses, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni , announced that spaza shops that will be open during the 21 day lockdown are the ones that are owned and managed by South Africans. Shops owned by Pakistans, Bangladesh, Somalians and Ethiopians will be closed.
The Minister announced this at the Inter-Ministerial briefing held in Pretoria today, 24 March 2020. “Spaza shops that will be open [during the lockdown] are strictly Spaza shops that are owned, managed and controlled by South Africans. We want to ensure that quality of food is there.” said Ntshavheni.
In other related news, the South African government said that in compliance with the nation wide lockdown it should be noted that ALL restaurants, cafes, bars and coffee shops will be closed from Friday. The service providers have not been exempt on the list of what is deemed essential services during the lockdown and will be required to close until 16 April 2020.
Essential services and service providers that will remain open are banks, laboratories, pharmacies, petrol stations, grocery stores amongst others.
Meanwhile, South Africa has to date 554 confirmed cases of Covoid-19 with 2 patients in ICU.
