Updated: Wednesday, 13 May 2020, 13h39.
South Africa moved into Level 4 of the COVID-10 National Lockdown on 1 May 2020, bringing with it even more changes to the eCommerce industry.
There are five Lockdown Levels and it is expected that each level will have its own rules and regulations. You will be able to access the uAfrica platform; however, when it comes to actually shipping parcels, we need to comply to the regulations of government and processes specified by each courier partner.
No further information is known about eCommerce at this point, other than the below details. We will share any information about the eCommerce sector as it is released.
What products will the couriers collect and deliver during Lockdown Level 4?
Under the regulations for Level 4, the trading of following items will be allowed (Part E):
- Food products, including non -alcoholic beverages and animal food.
- The sale of hot cooked food, only for home delivery.
- Toilet Paper, sanitary pads, sanitary tampons, and condoms.
- Hand sanitiser, disinfectants, soap, alcohol for industrial use, household cleaning products, and personal protective equipment.
- Products for the care of babies and toddlers.
- Personal toiletries, including haircare, body, face, hand and foot care products, rollons, deodorants, dental care products.
- Medical and Hospital Supplies, medicine, equipment and personal protective equipment.
- Fuel and lighting, including coal, wood, paraffin and gas.
- Airtime and electricity.
- Hardware, components and supplies.
- Components for vehicles undergoing emergency repairs
- Chemicals, packaging and ancillary products used in the production of any products listed here.
- Textiles required to produce face masks and other personal protective equipment and winter clothing.
- Winter clothing, footwear, bedding and heaters and the components and fabrics required to manufacture these. SEE FULL LIST HERE.
- Children’s clothing and fabrics and components required to manufacture these.
- Stationery and educational books.
- Personal ICT equipment including computers, mobile telephones and other home office equipment.
If you qualify to operate during Lockdown Level 4, you need to apply for a CICP certificate:
To apply for this certificate, simply go to the CIPC’s Bizportal and select “New Application” at the bottom of the page. The certificate will then be emailed to you; alternatively you can also choose the “Download”option.
In order to ship during Level 4, you will have to provide uAfrica and the couriers with an updated Level 4 certificate. This will either be mailed to you automatically by the CIPC or you can download it from the Bizportal.
If you cannot apply for a CIPC certificate:
Other essential service providers, like healthcare professionals registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa, sole proprietors who provide essential goods and services (like small business owners and spaza shops), and small-scale farmers will not register through the Bizportal.
These businesses will not have a CIPC certificate, but must still comply with the provisions of the lockdown regulations and the regulations set out by the couriers.
The Courier Guy
You only need to add the signed declaration form to the parcel and we also advise to state that you are a “Sole Proprietor” on the parcel/waybill.
Courier It
You can make use of the waybill only. Again, we would advise to state that you are a “Sole Proprietor” on the parcel/waybill.
Dawn Wing
Complete the form on page 29 of the Disaster Management Act of 2020 – PERMIT TO PERFORM AN ESSENTIAL OR PERMITTED SERVICE – with your company stamp. Mail the completed form back covid19@dawnwing.co.za with the signed Dawn Wing declaration from (available below).
What do I need to do when I want to ship a parcel with one of the courier partners?
STEP 1: DOCUMENTATION
Upload a copy of your CIPC certificate to uAfrica and email the certificate to each of our couriers using the following email addresses:
The Courier Guy: chamaine@thecourierguy.co.za
Dawn Wing: covid19@dawnwing.co.za
Courier It: prycsd@courierit.co.za
STEP 2: FULFILLING ORDERS
When you fulfil the order on uAfrica, please state that the products you are shipping are Level 4 compliant by adding “Level 4 compliant goods” under the collection and delivery instruction.
STEP 3: PACKAGING YOUR PARCEL
All the normal regulations in regards to packaging will apply; the below instructions are over and above this.
Each courier will have their own specifications. Please see the information per courier below:
Courier It
Place a copy of the CIPC certificate on each parcel.
The Courier Guy
Place a copy of your CIPC certificate on each parcel, as well as the following TCG declaration form per parcel. Please note that this is a Level 4-specific declaration form.
Dawn Wing
Place a copy of the CIPC certificate on each parcel. Please make sure that you have completed the declaration form below and email it to covid19@dawnwing.co.za.
Government Regulations
The department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs published new regulations for Level 4 of the lockdown on 29 April 2020. Please see a copy of the revised regulations attached.
Legalities
It is the customers’ responsibility to ensure that they can trade in terms of the applicable regulations; not the courier companies. It will also be assumed that any freight tendered for shipment is lawful.
If it transpires that any freight is unlawful, it is the client who tendered the freight’s responsibility to deal with the consequences. The couriers will deal with that freight as prohibited consignments and consequences for the client will apply.
