By Jackie Cameron
South Africa’s Covid-19 restrictions have been eased slightly. Among the changes: Cabinet has agreed to move the curfew to start at 10pm to allow for uninterrupted dinner service at restaurants. “We believe that this change will go a long way towards increasing their revenue generation,” the government said in a statement, emphasising that the sale of alcohol remains prohibited. Accommodation establishments are now permitted to operate for leisure intra-provincially subject to the following:
- No more than two people per room except for a nuclear family (parents and their children). Establishments are already legally obliged to require and keep a copy of proof of identity.
- Short-term home rental/sharing remain closed.
Tour operators, in the new regulations, will be allowed to conduct guided tours in open safari vehicles subject to directions and include provision for both social distancing and maximum ventilation. R200m allocated to the Tourism Relief Fund “could only assist 4,000′ of the 7,284 valid applications submitted. For more on that, see the full statement on BizNews.com.
Diversified miner Anglo American on Thursday said first-half profits fell 39%. Anglo American, with its extensive African exposure, has been the hardest hit of the major miners by lockdowns in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, said Reuters. “The year has been like nothing I have ever seen in my 43 years in the industry,” CEO Mark Cutifani reportedly said on a call.
Steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa fell deeper into a half-year loss as demand for steel dropped and output declined after operations were shut during a lockdown, the company said on Thursday. “On the back of a demanding 2019, the first half of 2020 proved to be incredibly difficult with the widespread health, social and business impact brought about by the global Covid-19 pandemic,” ArcelorMittal South Africa Chief Executive Kobus Verster told Reuters.
AB InBev says volumes in South Africa have dropped over 60% in the quarter. The company took a $2.5bn write-down tied to a worst-case scenario for how the coronavirus pandemic would affect sales. For more on that, see the in-depth report on BizNews Premium.
Diamond giant De Beers is to axe staff. Covid-19 has hit demand for jewellery. Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation were just $2m in the period, down from $518m in the first half of last year, says Reuters.
