Minister Marais welcomes re-opening of cultural affairs and sports sector

Following the President’s address and the Alert Level 2 Regulations gazetted by the Department of Co-operative Governance, provided that all mandatory health protocols are in place, the following restrictions have now been lifted in the cultural affairs, sport and recreation sectors:

All gatherings are prohibited except a gathering at sporting activities, including professional and non-professional matches, authorised by recognised sporting bodies, subject to the following:

• Directions for sports matches issued by the Cabinet member responsible for sport, after consultation with the Cabinet member responsible for health;
• Only journalists, radio, television crew, security personnel, emergency medical services, and the necessary employees employed by the owners of the venue of the sport match, are allowed at the venue of the sport match;
• Only the required number of players, match officials, support staff and medical crew required for the sport match, are allowed at the venue of the sport match;
• No spectators are allowed at the venue of the sports match;
• No international sport events are allowed.

The following places are now open to the public, subject to all persons wearing face masks and strict adherence to all health protocols and social distancing measures as provided for in the directions:

• Fitness centres and gyms, further subject to a limitation of 50 persons or less;
• Sports grounds and fields;
• Swimming pools, further subject to a limitation of 50 persons or less;
• Beaches and public parks;
• Museums, galleries, libraries and archives.

For the duration of the national state of disaster, male and female initiation practices are prohibited. The regulations prescribe that:  

• A person may not arrange or hold an initiation school or conduct an initiation practice;
• A prospective initiate may not attend an initiation school;
• An owner of land may not provide consent for the use of his or her land for the holding of an initiation school; and
• A traditional surgeon or medical practitioner may not perform circumcision as part of an initiation practice.

The National House of Traditional Leaders and provincial houses of traditional leaders must take steps to ensure that traditional leaders are aware of the content of this regulation.

Re-opening of Museums in the Western Cape

The revised National lockdown regulations published on 6 July 2020 (Gazette No. 43507) allowed museums throughout South Africa to apply to the National Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture to re-open for public visitors during stage 3 of the national lockdown. Our Provincial Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport has since assisted our affiliated museums with compiling the necessary operational plans and provided these museums with the needed PPE equipment.

This was done to ensure that affiliated museums comply with the national regulations and are able to open safely to the public. We are happy to announce that the following five (5) affiliated museums recently received permission to re-open during stage 3 of the national lockdown and will open for public visitors as follows:

• Caledon Museum – Monday 17 August 2020
• Huguenot Memorial Museum (Franschhoek) – Monday 17 August 2020
• Lwandle Migrant Labour Museum – Monday 24 August 2020
• Shipwreck Museum (Bredasdorp) – Monday 17 August 2020
• Togryers Museum (Ceres) – Tuesday 18 August 2020
• Stellenbosch Museum – Monday 17 August 2020

Several other affiliated museums are further awaiting permission to re-open and we will inform the public once permission for the re-opening of these museums are granted. Museums play a vital role in the conservation of our collective heritage through collections, research, exhibitions and educational programmes. We encourage all members of the public to visit their local museums to learn more about our rich and collective heritage.

The re-opening of the Western Cape Library Services

The revised National lockdown regulations published on 6 July 2020 (Gazette No. 43507) allowed libraries throughout South Africa to apply to the National Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture to re-open in compliance with measures to prevent and combat the spread of COVID-19 as per 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act 2002 (Act no. 57 of 2002). According to the National Directions issued, each Province is required to develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the re-opening of public libraries and request the National Minister’s  permission for these libraries to open. The detailed Standard Operating Procedures, pending the national Department’s approval, for the Western Cape Public libraries are attached for ease of reference.

The Standard Operating Procedures indicate the measures taken by the Western Cape public libraries to minimize the spread of COVID-19.  These procedures take into account the requirements to comply with the Regulations issued in terms of the Disaster Management Act, 2020, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 and the directives issued by the Minister of Employment and Labour in respect of the COVID-19 Occupational Health and Safety Measures in the Workplace, 2020.  It provides, in detail, the administrative, hygiene, and safety measures that will be implemented in every library, in order to prevent and reduce the spread of COVID-19. Detailed measures on the handling of all library materials are also included.

Minister Anroux Marais said, “ As we welcome the re-opening of the sectors, we have a responsibility to protect the well-being of our sport and cultural affairs stakeholders and will not hesitate to take a safety-first approach to our operations over the coming months. As we navigate to and through our new normal, we will continue monitoring the situation, and remain committed to working with our partners to ensure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on affected events and programmes will be minimized to ensure sustainability of the sector”.