Govt formally bans sale of hot food
The government on Monday moved to formally ban the sale of cooked food in all stores.
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma gazetted the new set of regulations on Monday afternoon.
Previously, the regulation on the categorisation of essential goods and services during lockdown defined food as: "Any food product including non-alcoholic beverages".
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This has now been changed to read: "Any food product, including non -alcoholic beverages, but excluding cooked hot food".
JUST IN: #COVID19lockdown The new gazetted ammendment regulations, have officially banned the sale of cooked food. pic.twitter.com/v9CP48WipH
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) April 20, 2020
The latest decision by the government has been met with criticism from Afrikaans business organisation Sakeliga.
The organisation’s policy analyst Daniel du Plessis believes the decision to ban the sale of cooked food is irrational.
He says Sakeliga could still challenge the regulations in court.
“The measures are irrational, in that it is far from clear that it represents a reduction in risk and are contrary to recommendations made by a multitude of international bodies and experts.”