In the later hours of 22 June 2022, the Minister of Health repealed major Covid-19 measures in place as the country sees the virus becoming more endemic.

This momentous shift comes after the Minister published a notice in terms of the Regulations Relating to the Surveillance and the Control of Notifiable Medical Conditions in terms of the National Health Act repealing Regulations 16A, 16B, and 16C.

South Africans are no longer required to wear face masks to contain the spread of the virus in public spaces and on public transport. In addition, limits imposed on the capacity at venues for gatherings have been lifted, notably checks for Covid-19 symptoms, vaccination status or PCR test results are no longer necessary upon entry to venues or at border crossings. 

While the Code of practice: Managing exposure to SARS-COV-2 in the workplace still prevails in the work environment (and which requires an approach informed by risk assessment and does not mandate mask wearing), public life may be closer to pre-Covid-19 normalcy.

Written By Kate Collier and Kenneth Coster, Partners at Webber Wentzel