Car sales may resume as well as servicing under Level 4 lockdown guidelines. Here are all the details.

Late on the evening of Tuesday 12th May 2020, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Ebrahim Patel announceda number of changes which affect the motoring industry. The good news is that car sales and servicing are allowed to resume, albeit under strict conditions. The term car sales also cover the wholesale vehicle trade, movement of vehicles to dealerships as well as the export/import aspect of vehicles.

The gradual reopening of the motoring industry will be done in phases, with the first phase placing some restrictions. We've scanned the Government Gazette and here's what you need to know regarding the phased reopening. If you'd like to view the Government Gazette, click here.

Phase One

Car dealerships may not have more than 30% of its staff onsite, with no more than 1 customeror employee for every 9 square metres of floor space.The majority of car sales will be done remotely via the internet or eCommerce or telephone. Personal contact will be kept to a minimum and only on appointment under very strict hygiene and social distancing conditions in line with the Regulations.Test drives are to be booked via appointment.Once a car has been sold, it must be delivered to the buyer's homes after being sanitised.Car services can now resume, but only for those whose vehicles are due for service during the lockdown period.Businesses that repair vehicles may now operate and these include outlets like autobody repairers, windscreen replacement, tyre fitment, auto electricians.Cosmetic repair work has been banned, for now.

Phase Two

Car dealerships may increase their staff attendance to 60%On-site pickups and deliveries of sold cars will be allowed, but vehicles will need to be sanitised.Limited customers will be allowed to enter the dealership under very strict hygiene and social distancing conditions in line with the Regulations.Car auctions for all categories will be conducted online in compliance with the CPA Regulations and limited physical contact will be allowed for viewing prior to the auction under very strict hygiene conditions including fully sanitised cars.

Phase Three (estimated 8 June 2020)

Car dealerships may have 100% of staff attendance.Car auctions for all categories will be conducted online in compliance with the CPA Regulations and limited physical contact will be allowed for viewing prior to the auction under very strict hygiene conditions including fully sanitised cars and limits on the numbers of persons at auctions in order to maintain a distance of at least 1,5m between persons at all times, including when entering or exiting from an auction.Customer on-site contact will be allowed but kept to a minimum, whilst remote vehicle sales are encouraged.

For the Dealerships

The new regulations meandealerships and used car outlets must implement health and safety measures, including, but not limited to the following: (a) Sanitisation procedures at all sites will be strictly applied to ensure that all work surfaces, equipment and cars on the floor are disinfected before the dealership is opened, and regularly cleaned during the working period; (b) maintaining social distancing protocols at all times; (c) ensuring that all staff and customers wear a cloth face mask or a home-made item that covers the nose and mouth andnot allowing any customer access to a dealership, used car outlet or auction without a face mask; (d) not allowing an employee who is sick or who has COVID-19 symptoms to work; (e) mandatory screening of all employees when they arrive for work on a daily basis; (f) mandatory signing of a register by all visitors and customers to all sites; and (g) not permitting children access to dealerships and used car outlets under Alert Level 4.

Dealer Principals or other persons in charge of dealerships and used car outlets will ensure that ongoing training and guidance on personal hygiene and preventative measures are communicated to all employees on a regular basis.

Other Services

There are plenty of other vehicle-relatedbusinesses and some of them can resume service, and these include:

Car testing centresHomologation services from the National Regulator for Compulsory SpecificationsWeighbridgesLogistics (wholesale distribution of cars across South Africa, subject to the following: (i) movement of cars under own power to be permitted from Port of arrival to an approved storage facility provided vehicles moved do not exceed batches of 10 at a time; (ii) new cars to be driven between dealerships within the same province where a car is required for sale only; and (iii) movement of cars to be permitted to service outlets required to complete the repair of the car were unable to perform the work at the dealership but excluding the fitment of accessories.

Further Reading

Vehicle Warranty / Servicing Extensions Due to Covid-19

Volkswagen Plant to Become Covid-19 Medical Facility

Fuel Prices To Plummet Further in May 2020

New Car Sales in SA Hit Rock Bottom