Coronavirus: All hands on deck!

From universities, taxi ranks, churches to mosques, government will from today be immersed in engagements to woo all key stakeholders in an intense bid to stem the progress of the fast-spreading coronavirus.

Several Cabinet ministers addressing a media briefing in Pretoria on Monday on the virus, underscored the importance of bringing everyone on board.

Amid the suspension of classes at some universities, which included the Tshwane University of Technology, University of Cape Town (UCT), University of Johannesburg and the University of Stellenbosch to avoid physical contact, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said his department and the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) had been “working on measures to combat the Covid-19 epidemic”.

“We have established a Covid-19 team comprising of Universities South Africa (Usaf), South African College Principals Organisation (Sacpo), higher education and health experts, to coordinate sector response and collate institutional case management reports.

“We have been in close consultation with the leadership of our public higher education institutions in developing these measures as well as with the Department of Health.

“Until this week, institutions had been in discussions as a sector about what protocols should guide higher education institutions during this pandemic.

“Many institutions had already taken tough decisions in a number of areas, including the cancellation of large events, such as graduations, contact lectures and other ceremonies,” said Nzimande.

He added: “I am aware of the fact that events on the ground are moving fast and that all institutions are making various contingency arrangements regarding their academic programmes where there has been viral threat detection – like in the case of Wits University and UCT.

“I will therefore be meeting with the Universities South Africa, the South African College Principals Organisation and the South African Students Union to agree on a common national protocol and management plan across the sector as the time horizon extends into the future.

“The meeting will also consider various coping strategies in response to different scenarios regarding the scale and intensity of viral spread, including if necessary, periods of suspension of all activities at our public institutions.”

Nzimande added: “We will also be liaising with other critical stakeholders, including national student representative bodies and trade unions, to ensure that we move in unison as the sector.”

Meanwhile, the Department of Basic Education has sanctioned the closure of schools from Wednesday for 10 days – reducing the June winter holiday by a week, according to Education Minister Angie Motshekga.

In consultation with taxi organisations and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said a countrywide public education blitz and the establishment of testing stations at taxi ranks, train and bus stations, would soon be rolled out.

brians@citizen.co.za

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