The Trade Minister said in a statement to media yesterday that “Cigarettes is not a basic good.” and therefor you will not be able to purchase it during the lockdown.
“Traders will be limited ‘only to sell the essential good that are set out in the regulations’. We have a 21-day lockdown, it’s not a year, it’s not two years. It’s a 21-day lockdown to try to see if we can contain this. We have to contain the spread of the virus, we have an enormous population of immunocompromised persons.
“On the items that people can buy, obviously we wanted to keep the list as short and simple as possible so that we can do a quick turn around at shops so that people spend the minimum amount of time there, and travel as infrequently to the shops as possible. Cigarettes is not a basic good.”
Trade Minister Ebrahim Patel
Any place that sells non-essential goods, as well as parks, beaches, flea markets, bazaars, casinos, hotels and guesthouses will be closed during the lockdown.
South Africans are requested not leave their homes or yard unless They have to perform or obtain an essential service, obtain a social grant, or are in a medical emergency or receive medical treatment for a chronic condition .
South Africans flooded liquor stores early on Thursday as liquor stores and the parts of supermarkets that sell liquor will be closed:
Scores of people already queuing outside Luquor City on Beyers Naude Drive this AM, just hours before the 21 days national lockdown kicks in midnight. The shop opens at 09:00. Remember no liquor store will be open during the period. #Covid19inSA#SouthAfricaLockdown pic.twitter.com/JYwsZUOHhY
— Team News24 (@TeamNews24) March 26, 2020
