by Thinus Ferreira
Ster-Kinekor will reopen its cinema theatres in South Africa again on 28 August - with Nu Metro planning to do the same - but cinemagoers won't be able to buy movie tickets or snacks inside cinema foyers, and other stringent hygiene and social distancing rules will be in place.
Press screenings of films for review purposes are also resuming for South Africa's movie critics and journalists in Cape Town and Johannesburg from 1 September, with Durban that will follow soon.
Christopher Nolan’s Tenet is releasing on 28 August, while Disney’s live-action Mulan remake is set to be released on 11 September.
After having been shut for 5 months since late-March due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic and resulting national lockdown period in South Africa, Ster-Kinekor will reopen 32 of its cinemas on 28 August and its remaining 21 cinemas on 18 September 2020.
Nu Metro was asked on Wednesday when it might be opening it's chain of cinema theatres but told TVwithThinus that it couldn't officially comment on a reopening date. According to insiders Nu Metro however also plans to reopen on 28 August the same as Ster-Kinekor, pending government approval for Nu Metro's cinema protocol plans.
At Ster-Kinekor only 50 cinemagoers, excluding staff, will be allowed per cinema theatre and at the conclusion of a screening customers will have to leave a threatre from the back, row by row. People will have to remove their empty snack containers to discard in the dustbins which will be placed in the cinema foyers.
No physical movie tickets, or snacks and drinks from the concession stand, will be done inside cinema foyers and will have to be purchased through the Ster-Kinekor website or app.
Ster-Kinekor will implement a staggered approach for the starting and ending time of its carousel of films showing at cinemas at any given time, so that the number of people walking in to, existing out of, and queueing in foyers are reduced.
Ster-Kinekor is also upping its cleaning regime and will sanitise frequently touched cinemas surfaces. Ster-Kinekor will also be using a "misting device" which will be used to treal all auditoria, as well as lounge areas, foyers, hand railings and seats".
Masks and temperature screening will be compulsory at Ster-Kinekor when entering the cinema foyer but people will be allowed to temporarily removedthem inside the auditorium to eat and drink.
Ster-Kinekor says that its reopening will be done in a phased approach "to ensure that operationally employees have been trained on the new Covid-19 health and safety measures and all the personal protection equipment (PPE) required is ready when trading".
Motheo Matsau, Ster-Kinekor deputy CEO, says in a statement that "We've been getting ready to welcome patrons back to the cinema since government’s announcement on 6 July 2020. We have taken every step to ensure the safe return of our guests and staff to the cinema with our staff having undergone extensive Covid-19 operations training".
Ster-Kinekor says that it will "continue to sanitise the cinemas before and after each show and have increased our cleaning times between every show to make sure all our seats and surfaces are clean and safe."
"All our staff will be screened before we open the cinemas each day, as well as at each shift. We will wear face masks and gloves where required and our staff have been trained on safe work practices to ensure safety for themselves and for our guests."
These Ster-Kinekor cinemas are opening on 28 August:
Western Cape
Bayside, Blue Route, Capegate, Cavendish, Garden Route, N1 City, Parow, Promenade, Somerset, Tyger Valley.
Gauteng
Brooklyn Commercial, Carnival City, Centurion, Cresta, Eastgate, Kolonnade, Mall of Africa, Sandton, The Grove, Vaal, Wonderpark.
KwaZulu-Natal
Gateway Commercial, Musgrave.
Eastern Cape
Baywest
Free State
Mimosa
Limpopo
Mall of the North
Mpumalanga
Ilanga, Secunda.
North West
Mooi Rivier, Rustenburg.
Northern Cape
North Cape
ALSO READ: Coronavirus: After 5 months Nu Metro to reopen most of its cinemas in South Africa from 28 August on Fridays and Saturdays with new Covid-19 health protocols.
