LEVEL 3 REGULATIONS PAINFUL, BUT CRUCIAL

LEVEL 3 REGULATIONS PAINFUL, BUT CRUCIAL

Johannesburg, 29 December 2020

Dear MISA Member
 
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement last night of the country’s return to Alert Level 3 may be unwelcome news, but unfortunately a necessary step in curbing the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
By now, everybody knows someone who has either contracted the Coronavirus or who has succumbed to the disease, while we have all be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in one way or another.
 
Economically and in the workplace, very few have been spared the consequences. Many of our members have lost their jobs, or have been put on short time, while countless employers have been struggling to overcome the financial implications of the hard lockdown earlier in the year, and the knock-on effect on the economy.
 

What are we to do?

 
As workers and citizens of South Africa, we have to abide by the rules, no matter how difficult they may be.

• Wear your mask over your nose and face at all times when out at public, on public transport and at work. Not wearing a mask is now a criminal offence and can land you either a fine or up to 6 months in prison – or both.

• Adhere to the curfew of 21:00 to 6:00. This means that you are not allowed to be outside your place of residence after 21:00 and before 06:00 the next morning, unless you are a permitted worker.

• No alcohol will be sold in retail outlets, restaurants or bars until 15 January 2021.

• Continue sanitizing your hands and maintain a distance of at least 1.5 metres from others, also in the workplace.

Most of these rules are not new to us, but they are necessary to curb the further spread of the coronavirus, ease up the burden on our healthcare system and, ultimately, to save lives.
 
It is up to each South African to strictly follow the President’s instructions and to work together to ensure that the situation does not spiral out of control and that we do not have to face another hard lockdown. That would be devastating to our economy, our industry and our country’s people.
 
As we are almost at the end of this most unusual, and challenging year, I wish you and your families good health and peace.
 
This, too, shall pass.
 

Kind regards,

Martlé Keyter
CEO Operations, MISA