by Thinus Ferreira
Cinemas, theatres, galleries, museums, libraries, archives and casinos in South Africa are allowed to open again from today as the country moves to an adjusted Level 3 lockdown during the ongoing Covid-19 global pandemic, although they will be limited to 50% of capacity and must close at 21:00 so workers and customers can be home at 22:00 when the curfew kicks in.
The latest adjusted Lockdown Level 3 regulations were published on Sunday night after president Cyril Ramaphosa announced that South Africa is moving back from an adjusted Level 4 lockdown.
Under the new Level 3 regulations, spectators at sporting events still remain a no-no while night clubs also remain closed.
Public swimming pools, beaches and public parks, game parks, botanical gardens, aquariums and zoos, gyms and fitness centres can open.
Restaurants, bars, shebeens and taverns are allowed to open their doors and have customers "subject to a limitation of a maximum of 50 persons or less for indoor venues or 100 persons outdoors observing a distance of at least one and a half metres from each other, then not more more than 50% of the capacity of the venue may be used".
South Africa's theatre and cinema industries have been decimated by the lockdown regulations, resulting in temporary and permanent closure and thousands of people who have lost jobs and income.
Earlier this month Ster-Kinekor implored the South African government to allow cinemas to reopen, saying that the move to Level 4 lockdown that also meant the forced closure of movie theatres is a "devastating blow"is "a devastating blow" to the industry.
In 2020 South Africa's total box office revenue at cinemas plunged by a massive R1.2 billion to a measly R214 million compared to 2019 - the lowest in over a decade - according to a recent industry report.
Cinema chains like Cine Centre, Nu Metro and Ster-Kinekor are struggling immensely, with Ster-Kinekor that entered voluntary business rescue at the beginning of 2021.
After just a few months that they were open again, trying to lure back wary patrons with spaced-seating, packaged popcorn, rigorous cleaning and disinfecting protocols and even opting for cashless transactions, cinemas were once again forced to shut down the projectors and close their doors in late-June this year.
Chantelle Burrows, Nu Metro cinemas marketing and content executive, told TVwithThinus on Monday morning that Nu Metro cinemas will reopen from this Friday 30 July.
"This
reopening also includes Nu Metro's specialised cinema formats: 4DX, VIP and
Xtreme. We will initially be trading Fridays to Sundays, and on public
holidays, only – in line with our responsible trading strategy under Covid-19
lockdown regulations"."
"Some of the blockbuster movies which will be showing in
our cinemas from Friday include Space Jam: A New Legacy, featuring NBA superstar
LeBron James and the Looney Tunes crew of iconic cartoon characters in a family
movie adventure; as well as Fast & Furious 9: The Fast Saga, after this
blockbuster’s record-breaking run at the box office was cut short at the end of
June."
"Nu
Metro joins the local industry in celebrating the return of the unique, shared
out-of-home entertainment experience that only cinemas can bring," says Chantelle Burrows.
"Cinemas
remain one of the safest spaces to be in, with extensive precautionary
protocols in place to halt the spread of Covid-19, even exceeding governmental
requirements."
"All our cinemas are sanitised after every show, social distancing
and access controls are strictly managed, and all guests are seated facing in
one direction inside auditoria, with minimal interaction between cinemagoers."
"Advanced HVAC ventilation systems, fitting universal health and safety
requirements, are also installed in cinemas. We look forward to welcoming
cinemagoers this weekend with a great line-up of the best big screen
entertainment for young and old."
