Just in: Six personal care services, including hairdressers, allowed to open

A gazette signed by the Minister of Small Business Development Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and published on Friday 19 June, has permitted the personal care services industry, including hairdressers, to operate under Advanced Level 3.

If you’ve been dying for a haircut, a massage or looking to add to your tattoo collection, it’s game time. Although the industry may officially open, it may only do so under very strict conditions. These protocols come into operation on the date of publication.

THESE PERSONAL CARE SERVICES ALLOWED TO OPERATE 

The permitted services may only commence with operations, ensuring full compliance with the relevant safety protocols.

The categories of services that are deemed safe to resume are the following: 

• Hairdressing;
• Barbering;
• Nail and toe treatment;
• Facial treatment and make-up;
• Body massage; and
• Tattooing and body piercing. 

All personal care services must comply with all applicable COVID-19 State of Disaster Regulations, guidelines, notices, directives and protocols as issued by the Department of Small Business and Development in respect of operations, employees and the workplace. 

SAFETY PROTOCOLS TO ADHERE TO

Safety protocols apply to formal and informal salons for hair, face, nails, body treatments and tattooing.

“These protocols do not replace the regulations and directives issued. They put in place additional guidelines to ensure that those providing or obtaining personal care services do so in a manner that minimises the risk of transmission of COVID-19,” the gazette read.

As to be expected, all salons, including hairdressers, must adhere to the basic principles of handwashing and practising social distancing between customers and staff wherever possible. 

You can find the full gazette here.

DA OVERJOYED AFTER LENGTHY COURT CASE

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has welcomed the “long and overdue” regulations paving the way for the personal care services industry to reopen. This, after a lengthy court battle against Cogta Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to lift the ban on the industry.

“From the very outset, the DA warned the government that its indefinite ban on the personal care industry, which employs hundreds of thousands of people in hair salons, beauty stores and tattoo pallors, was unconstitutional and illegal,” said DA Shadow Minister of Trade and Industry Dean Macpherson.

“The DA is glad this painful battle is over for those that work in the personal care industry however we will continue to hold Dlamini-Zuma accountable for her actions and inactions during this lockdown,” he added.