New admission of guilt fine directives have been published for businesses breaking lockdown rules.
The South African Judiciary has published a list of fines citizens and businesses will have to pay if they are found to breach the Covid-19 lockdown rules.
The directives published said that the South African Police Service may give a person or company, who has been arrested on suspicion of a less serious crime, an option to pay an admission of guilt fine without having to appear in court. This prevents the court system from overloading.
The directives are based on provincial and magistrate districts. They are in line with the new level 4 lockdown regulations introduced on 1 May.
Not all regions have published directives, but details are available for Gauteng, Tshwane, KwaZulu-Natal and the North West.
Retail businesses in these regions who are found to be selling illegal goods like cigarettes, liquor and more, will be expected to pay a R1,000 admission of guilt fine.
People or business found guilty of:
- Making a misrepresentation that any person is infected with Covid-19 will be expected to pay R3,000.00
- Publishing any statement to deceive any other person about Covid-19 will be expected to pay R2,000.00
- Publishing any statement to deceive any other person about the infection status of any person will be expected to pay R3,000.00
- Intentionally exposing another person to Covid-19 will be expected to pay R5,000.00
- Disclosing any information in the Covid-19 database will be expected to pay R1,000.00
- Convening a gathering will be expected to pay R3,000.00
- Going to work without a permit will be expected to pay R500.00
- Buy goods that are not permitted will be expected to pay R500.00
- Illegally moving between provinces, metropolitan areas and districts will be expected to pay R1,000.00
- Sell, dispense or distribute liquor will be expected to pay R2,000.00
- Sell tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and related products will be expected to pay R1,000.00
