COVID-19

• The disaster management regulations for adjusted lockdown level two have confirmed eased restrictions announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Among other things, they:
  • reduce curfew hours to between 23:00 and 04:00 the following morning
  • raise the cap on gatherings to 250 people indoors and 500 people outdoors
  • limit venues ‘too small to accommodate these numbers with appropriate social distancing’ to using ‘no more than 50%’ of their capacity
  • slightly ease the restrictions on retail outlets selling alcohol for off-site consumption
  • add two more hours to the timeframe within which alcohol may be sold for on-site consumption, but
  • retain:
    • the restrictions on attendance at funerals and cremations, and
    • continue to prohibit night vigils and after-funeral gatherings.

 

NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE

 

• The National Minimum Wage Commission has called for input to the process of considering possible adjustments to the prevailing hourly rate.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

• The Department of Transport has replaced draft amendments the 1994 maritime occupational safety regulations published in June for public comment. Input is now sought on the new proposals, which include a ‘code of safe working practice for ships working cargo in South African ports’.

 

SPECTRUM AUCTION

• The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa has issued a media statement on the latest developments in the its efforts to proceed with auctioning high-demand radio frequency spectrum.

 

MATRIMONIAL PR0PERTY LAW

• The South African Law Reform Commission has called for public comment on a ‘revised/supplementary issue paper’ replacing one published in 2018.

 

LEGAL PRACTICE COUNCIL

• Draft amendments to various rules have been gazetted for public comment. Input is also invited on proposed amendments to rules affecting:
  • fees
  • ‘conversion of enrolment’, and
  • accounting records.

• Amendments have been made to clauses in the code of conduct dealing with:
  • changes to a legal practitioner’s contact details, and
  • responding to council communications.

 

FINANCIAL SECTOR REGULATIONS

• The Financial Sector Conduct Authority and the Prudential Authority have called for public comment on a draft standard proposing the minimum requirements to be met by an insurer when outsourcing material business functions or activities to third-party service providers.

 

Prepared by Pam Saxby