Essential Service and Permitted Business Travel Permits

Guide to Registering your Business as an Essential Service/ Permitted Business:

If your business provides a service considered to be an essential service, or (W.E.F. 1 May 2020) provides services to these businesses, you may now be permitted to re-open your business for trade.

With effect from 1 June 2020 wholesale and retail trade may restart – subject to exclusions. 

During the Initial Nationwide Lockdown period, only essential services were permitted to trade to prevent the spread of the deadly Coronavirus.

As a second and now third phase to re-opening the economy, additional layers of services have been permitted to restart.

To ensure compliance with the new legislation, your business is required  to obtain an Essential or Permitted Services Certificate prior to re-opening.

This Certificate is to be presented to South African Police Services (SAPS) officials upon request.

The Minister has warned – Heavy fines and a Criminal Record await those who do not comply.

The Department of Trade and Industry Announcement

Certification process during COID-19 Coronavirus Extended Lockdown as announced by the Department of Trade and Industry on 16 Apr 2020:

Registered Companies (Pty) LTD and Closed Corporations (CCs/CKs) will be required to have a new Certificate from 17 April 2020.

The new Certificate will clearly state that it is for the Extended Lockdown period, beginning 17 April 2020, and South African Police Service officials have been instructed which certificates to look for.

Certificates issued before then will no longer be valid and must be disposed of. To provide time for businesses to adjust to the new requirements, the new Certificates will be available to be displayed from start of business on Monday, 20 April 2020.

Possession of the Certificate is still subject to your company fully complying with the applicable Lockdown Regulations and is a record of the company’s details, and does not in itself constitute the right to continue operating during the period.

Only businesses which provide essential or permitted services in terms of the Lockdown Regulations, as amended, issued by the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs may continue their operations during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The Certificate is a reference to the legal registration of the company in terms of the Companies Act, 2008 (Act No. 71 of 2008) and a record of registration. It does not give a firm or individual a right to trade if that company does not fall into an Essential or Permitted Service as defined in the Lockdown Regulations.

Registration is only for Companies and Closed Corporations  registered in terms of the Companies Act. 

Where it is found that certificates have been issued to entities which do not meet the definitions of an essential or permitted service, such certificate will be revoked, and the company will be referred to the South African Police Services.

False declaration by the entity is a criminal offence and will result in prosecution, in terms of Lockdown Regulations.

The transportation of liquor continues to be prohibited, except where alcohol is required for industries producing hand sanitizers, disinfectants, soap, alcohol for industrial use and household cleaning products.

To confirm if your business complies, please consult the necessary regulation at: 

https://www.gov.za/documents/disaster-management-act-regulations-address-prevent-and-combat-spread-coronavirus-covid-19

Businesses can only apply if they belong to the list of essential or permitted services categories as above.

PLEASE NOTE:

This service is only for registered Companies  – (Pty) LTD, or LTD – and Closed Corporations  – (CCs/CKs).   NO Sole Proprietors or Trusts.