Restaurants: ‘No alcohol consumption on site’ – Kubayi-Ngubane

Minister of Tourism Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, during a press briefing on Friday 26 June, announced guidelines that restaurants, hotels and casinos should follow once they reopen to the public. The minister also confirmed that alcohol cannot be consumed on-site at restaurants. 

‘ALCOHOL IS WITHIN TAKEAWAY, NOT FOR ON-SITE CONSUMPTION’

Kubayi-Ngubane said that alcohol falls under takeaways and should not be consumed in restaurants. 

“Alcohol is still within takeaway, there is no alcohol consumption on-site,” she said.  

All restaurants, fast food outlets and coffee shops must comply with the following directions: 

• Keep a daily record of all employees, delivery agents and patrons; 
• Screen each employee and delivery person; 
• On arrival for shifts and on departing after shifts, regularly sanitise the workplace, delivery transport, containers, and follow cleaning procedures; 
• Provide employees with masks and sanitiser and ensure that every employee wears the relevant personal protective equipment;
• Ensure that delivery persons sanitise before and after handling card or cash payment; 
• Employees and delivery persons maintain a distance of at least one and a half meters apart at all times; 
• Demarcate an area for the collection of orders for delivery that is separate from the place where food is prepared; and
• Designated contactless pickup zone for customers whose orders are ready to be collected.

For sit down at restaurants, the following guidelines must be adhered to: 

• In terms of guests, a screening questionnaire must be conducted;
• Take precautionary measures to protect the person and other persons in the premises; 
• Not allow any person into the premises if that person is not wearing a cloth mask or homemade item that covers the nose and mouth or another appropriate item to cover the nose and mouth; 
• Ensure that customers and guests wear masks at all times while they are in their premises except when eating or drinking; 
• Ensure that all customers are sanitised before entering the premises;
• Demarcate in a visible manner a distance of a line at least 1.5m from the point of sale serving counter towards the customer;
• Ensure customers queue at least 1.5m apart behind each other or sideways;
• Spread seat capacity to enforce distancing of 1.5m between guests; and
• Consider a reservation system to manage demand, and help ensure capacity limits are adhered to.

NO BUFFETS IN RESTAURANTS EITHER

In terms of food service, no buffets will be offered to guests for self-service and menus must be replaced with non-touch options or sanitised after each use. 

Tables must be sanitised before and after each guest use. Where possible, and for instance while taking orders, waiting staff must stand at least one meter from tables. 

HOTELS AND CONFERENCES 

According to Kubayi-Ngubane, there will be business activity in hotels. 

Hotels, lodges, bed and breakfast, timeshares facilities, resorts and guest houses must comply with the directions as previously announced. 

The following directions must be adhered to in conference and meetings venues:  

• The number of persons entering a conference and meeting venue shall not be more than 50 and conference and meetings shall ensure compliance with the requirement relating to physical distancing, which is at least one and a half meters; 
• Keep a daily record of the full details of all employees, delivery agents and attendees; 
• Conduct at the reservation, a screening questionnaire for every delegate in the format of the form issues with published guidelines; 
• Set up screening stations before or after entrances, at the front of queues to facilitate the screening of delegates at each and every entry; 
• After the screening, where necessary, isolate a person in a facility within their premises designated for isolation; 
• No person shall be allowed into the premises if that person is not wearing a cloth mask or homemade item that covers the nose and mouth; 
• Delegates must wear masks at all times except when eating or drinking; 
• Sanitise delegates before entering into the premises; 
• Frequently sanitise guests during their stay in the premises or provide guests with sanitisers for frequent use; 
• Only individual water and individual mints condiments will be provided. The use of containers or bowls is prohibited; 
• Sanitise microphone and podium after use by every person; and 
• Designate a seat for each delegate and not allow a delegate to change the seat. 

Casinos are permitted to operate at 50% capacity.