Africa-Press – South-Africa. Even though unmasked faces have started appearing in shopping malls, in classrooms and on public transport, you could still be asked to cover up.
Health Minister Joe Phaahla said, “If you run a facility, you have the right to determine regulations.”
“If managers of schools and old age homes want to keep masks … that is their policy and not the government policy. That will apply to all public places. It will be up to regulators and owners of facilities, without the government having any say.”
On Wednesday, Phaahla gazetted a repeal of major Covid-19 regulations on mask-wearing, limited gatherings and travel requirements.
Face masks are no longer required. Now, what do we do with all of them?
This means South Africans are no longer required to wear masks in indoor public places or on public transport, and that regulations dictating that venues stick to 50% capacity for indoor gatherings are now a thing of the past.
Masks became mandatory when President Cyril Ramaphosa announced what was initially a 21-day lockdown in March 2020.
Later, when unprecedented restrictions on movements, such as a curfew, were lifted, wearing a mask remained a requirement.
But even though masks are no longer mandatory, Phaahla warned that Covid-19 remained a reality and encouraged those who have not been vaccinated to get their shots.
News24 polled some readers about whether they have banished their masks to the dustbin or if they intend to continue to mask up.
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