Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said that this was no time for bickering or apportioning blame as the sector reeled from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions.
The Tourism Ministry said that it was wrong to interpret the adjusted level 3 lockdown regulations as a 'free for all opening of leisure tourism'.
Restaurants, casinos and conference centres will reopen but under certain conditions, including all present COVID-19 protocols.
Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said that while easing lockdown regulations for certain sectors would help businesses, it must be done under strict health conditions.
At a briefing on Friday evening, the Tourism Minister said all COVID-19 protocols must be followed, with some extra directions especially when sitting down for a meal at a restaurant.
The Restaurants Association of South Africa has sent the tourism ministry a lawyer's letter asking for clarity on when the regulations will be made public.
Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said if businesses do not open before September, over 500,000 people could lose their jobs.
On Friday the Constitutional Court dismissed Solidarity's application for urgent direct access to the court to challenge the High Court ruling on the use of race as a criterion in the allocation of the COVID-19 relief fund by the tourism department.
On Friday the Constitutional Court dismissed trade union Solidarity’s urgent application for direct access to the court saying it was not in the best interest of justice to hear it at this stage.
Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane welcomed the ruling by the ConCourt and urged Afriforum and Solidarity to allow the department to continue with its work.
Trade union Solidarity and lobby group AfriForum want the Constitutional Court to urgently hear their appeal against the Pretoria High Court’s recent decision to uphold Kubayi-Ngubane’s stance.
All restaurants, including shisanyamas, have been forced to close their doors since the lockdown began last month, putting thousands of jobs and livelihoods at risk.
Companies will have to show their businesses have been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This included the use of drones, a smartphone app and other communication technologies.
Last weekend, Ukrainian visitor Ivan Ivanov was stabbed to death while hiking at East Fort above Chapman's Peak Drive.
