Anyone who breaks the lockdown regulations could be liable for an admission of guilt fine of as much as R5,000.
The judiciary has released a list of charges under the Disaster Management Act, accompanied by fines attached to each of them.
Nathi Mncube, spokesperson for the office of the chief justice, said the fines were determined by chief magistrates in consultation with other stakeholders, including the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act.
“The section provides that a magistrate of the district may make determination of amounts of admissions of guilt fines in respect certain offences,” said Mncube.
The following offences will attract a R5,000 fine:
- disclosing information contained in the Covid-19 tracing database, or information obtained during contact tracing;
- failure to “de-identify” or destroy information on the Covid-19 database six weeks after state of disaster has ended;
- making of intentional misrepresentation that any person is infected with Covid-19;
- publishing of any statement to deceive any other person about Covid-19;
- intentionally exposing another person to Covid-19;the sale of liquor;
- the sale of tobacco;
- illegal gathering at public places;
- hindering a member of the police or SANDF from performing their duties.
According to the list of offences, a person will be liable for R1,000 fine if they:
- are outside their residence between 8pm and 5am without a permit to perform essential work or permitted services, or attending to a security or medical emergency; or
- fail to comply with the prohibition on movement between provinces.
The sale of goods that are not allowed to be sold during the lockdown will attract a R2,000 fine.