COVID-19

 

• The State of Disaster has been extended to 15 November.

 

• On 11 October, the disaster management regulations for adjusted lockdown level one were amended to allow limited numbers of spectators at certain sports matches.

 

• On 15 October, more amendments were made to last year’s ministerial directive on measures intended to curb the spread of virus in the sport, arts and culture sector. They align:
  • sports event provisions in the directive with the amended disaster management regulations for adjusted lockdown level one, and
  • other sector-specific requirements with measures prescribed in the same regulations.

 

• On 11 October, more amendments were made to last year’s ministerial directive on measures intended to curb the spread of the virus in the social development sector. As a result:
  • caregivers without a ‘valid 13-digit identity number’ but, instead, holding a Social Security Agency of South Africa ‘system generated number’ may now apply for a social relief of distress grant
  • if such an application is received before the end of this month and approved, the beneficiary will be paid retrospectively from August, and
  • the date by which social relief of distress grant payments should be drawn before being forfeited has been extended to 30 November.

 

JUSTICE

 

• The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has established a committee to rationalise areas under the jurisdiction of the divisions of the High Court. The rationalisation of South Africa’s lower courts ‘is now at its final stages of implementation’.

 

• The Information Regulator has called for public comment on proposed amendments to the 2018 protection of personal information regulations.

 

LABOUR

 

• The new regulations on a bank account verification system for occupational injury and disease claim payments have been withdrawn.

 

FINANCE

 

• National Treasury has published a revised technical paper entitled, ‘Financing a Sustainable Economy’.

 

PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES

 

• The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities has gazetted national strategic frameworks on:
  • ‘reasonable accommodation’, and
  • universal design and access.

 

Prepared by Pam Saxby