The President of the Republic announced on 18 September 2020 that the country will go down to Level 1 of the lockdown regulations. This came into effect on 21 September 2020. Under level 1, all businesses except for a minor few may resume their regular activities. It is however still not business as usual.
Operation of the economic sector:
All Businesses may operate except for:
- Night vigils;
- Nightclubs;
- Initiation practices;
- Passenger ships for international leisure purposes;
- Attendance of any sporting event by spectators;
- International sports events;
Gatherings at conferences and meetings:
Limited to 250 persons or less in case of an indoor gathering and 500 persons or less in case of an outdoor gathering. Provided that no more than 50 percent of the capacity of the venue be used, with persons observing a distance of least one and a half metres from each other. If persons participating through electronic platforms are not included in these limitations.
Limited to 250 persons or less in case of an indoor gathering and 500 persons or less in case of an outdoor gathering. Provided that no more than 50 percent of the capacity of the venue be used, with persons observing a distance of least one and a half metres from each other.
Gatherings at a workplace for work purposes:
All OHS measures as directed by The Department of Employment and Labour with regard to the level 4 regulations remains in place.
● Businesses with more than 100 employees, working together in a group in the same floor space, must where possible, make provision for minimising the number of employees at the workplace at any given time, through rotation, staggered working hours, shift systems, remote working arrangements or similar measures, in order to achieve social distancing and to limit congestion in public transport and at the workplace. The relevant health protocols and social distancing measures for persons employed in private residences must be adhered to.
● All persons who are able to work from home must do so. However persons will be permitted to perform any type of work outside the home and to travel to and from work and for work purposes subject to strict adherence to health protocols and social distancing measures, the return to work being phased-in in order to put in place measures to make the workplace COVID -19 ready, the return to work being done in a manner that avoids and reduces risks of infection and the work not being listed under the specific economic exclusions.
● Employers must implement appropriate measures for employees who are over the age of 60 or those with comorbidities to facilitate their safe return to work, which may include special measures at the workplace to limit employees’ exposure to COVID-19 infection and where possible for the employees to work from home.
● Construction, manufacturing, business and financial services firms with more than 500 employees must adhere to the appropriate sector or workplace arrangements or compacts to address:
● the provision or arrangements of transport for their employees coming to the site, or, where this is not possible, consider staggering working time arrangements to reduce congestion in public transport;
● stagger the return to work of employees to ensure workplace readiness and avoid traffic congestion during peak travel times as a result of the return to work;
● screen employees daily for symptoms of COVID-19 and refer the employees who display symptoms for medical examination and testing where necessary; and submit data collected during the screening and testing process to the Director-General: Health.
●Industries, businesses and entities, both private and in the public sector, must:
●designate a COVID-19 compliance officer who must oversee:
● the implementation of the plan referred to in paragraph (b);
● strict adherence to the standards of hygiene and health protocols relating to COVID-19 at the workplace;
● develop a plan for the phased-in return of their employees to the workplace, prior to reopening the workplace for business, which plan must be retained for inspection and must contain information regarding the following:
● Employees who are permitted to work;
● What the plans for the phased-in return of their employees to the workplace are;
● The health protocols that are in place to protect employees from COVID-19; and
● The details of the COVID-19 compliance officer;
● phased -in the return of their employees to work to manage the return of employees from other provinces, metropolitan areas and districts.
● develop measures to ensure that the workplace meets the standards of health protocols, adequate space for employees and social distancing measures for the public and service providers, as required for persons employed in private residences must be adhered to.
About the Author
Otto Bronkhorst is the National Manager for Training and Research at SEESA. He was admitted as an attorney in September 1991 and has 19 years of experience.