Covid-19: Businesses warned to adhere to regulations

As they begin to recoup the losses incurred over the past six months, business owners have been urged to operate within the health and safety regulations to avoid a return to Level 5 of the Covid-19 lockdown.

The warning by KZN MEC for Health, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu comes amid fears of a resurgence of coronavirus infections as a result of non-compliance.

Simelane-Zulu, who was speaking at Khandisa Clinic in Empangeni on Monday, said the business community – particularly the food and entertainment sector – must limit customer numbers in order to curb the spread of the virus.

According to Alert Level 1 of the lockdown regulations, gatherings at social events are limited to 250 people or less in case of an indoor gathering; and 500 persons or less in case of an outdoor gathering.

This is provided that no more than 50% of the capacity of the venue is used, with people observing a distance of at least one and a half metres from each other.

‘We are pleading with owners of establishments that people go to for a ‘good time’, to enforce these regulations, because if we don’t take them seriously, it could mean that in a few months’ time, we could return to Lockdown Level 5,’ she said. Simelane-Zulu highlighted that countries like China are already experiencing a second wave.

‘There was a time when they went for 30 days without registering a single infection; then suddenly, they registered 2000 cases in one day.

‘France recently recorded the highest number of infections they have seen in a very long time, with  7 000 infections in one day.

‘So we really do not want this second wave of Covid-19 to reach us because we don’t really know how strong it is,’ she said.

Covid-19 job scams investigated While calling for a change in community behaviour under Alert Level 1, the MEC also issued a stern warning to those using the pandemic to scam desperate job seekers.

This follows the circulation of a bogus advert inviting job applications at Madadeni Hospital in Newcastle.

Prior to this, there were also complaints of departmental employees ‘selling’ administrative clerk posts related to Covid-19.

Both these matters are currently being investigated by the SAPS.

‘First and foremost, we want to reiterate that there is not a single government job that is up for sale.

‘Posts are advertised on reliable and reputable public mediums (newspapers, official government websites and official social media pages).

‘People then have to apply, get shortlisted, called up for interviews, and then employed.

‘We know that jobs are scarce, and people need them but let us not allow ourselves to fall victim to criminals.’

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