Students react to Easter lockdown regulations

Students had mixed reactions to the adjusted Easter lockdown regulations announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s during a national address on Tuesday evening.

The president banned the sale of alcohol for off-site consumption for the entire weekend, from the 2nd to the 5th of April.  Bars, restaurants and shebeens are still allowed to sell alcohol until 11:00pm as per the existing level 1 lockdown regulations.

Regulations on religious and social gatherings will allow up to 250 individuals indoors and 500 outdoors, or at 50% of venue capacity if the venue is small. Restrictions around the use of public spaces such as parks and beaches remain unchanged from previous level 1 regulations. The national curfew is still in effect from midnight to 4am, and only 100 people are alowed at funerals for two-hour services.

Anja Mienie (22), a B.Com financial accounting student at the North-West University (NWU) Potchefstroom, said, “I understand the need for the restrictions, but are they trying to force us to go bar-hopping for Easter?” She said that she planned to have a party at her home this weekend but was considering moving it to next weekend so guests will be able to buy drinks in time.

Otto Vermeulen (18), a first-year B.Com business management student at the NWU, said he was glad to hear that religious gatherings will now allow up to 250 people indoors. “I am quite religious and it has always been a tradition for my family to go to church for Easter, it would have been strange not attending communion this weekend.”

With many students travelling back home for the upcoming Easter weekend, the president advised South Africans to limit their travel as much as possible. He also urged those travelling across provincial lines to follow the necessary health protocols.

Lanie Snyman (23), a 5th year postgraduate student at the NWU, said that the new lockdown regulations will not have much of an effect on her Easter weekend. Her family had already decided against travelling to visit other family due to concerns over Covid-19.

The president’s full speech and more details about the lockdown regulations for the Easter weekend can be found here.