As of June 23, authorities in South Africa have lifted all remaining domestic and international restrictions related to COVID-19. In addition the use of masks is not required and at the same time entry restrictions no longer apply to international travelers entering South Africa.
The Minister of Employment and Labor of South Africa, Thulas Nxesi, has applauded the decision to remove the remaining COVID-19 restrictions taken by the Minister of Health, Joe Phaahla.
Through a statement issued by the South African government, Minister Nxesi warned that the establishment of the remaining Covid-19 protocols does not mean that employers should “adopt a cavalier stance on health and safety in their workplaces”, VisaGuide.World reports.
“Health Minister Phaahla has announced the lifting of mandatory use of masks as well as removal of restrictions on gatherings as South Africa experiences low COVID-19 infections and related deaths,” the statement reads.In this regard, Minister Nxesi pointed out that the health and safety of workers remain a priority for the South African state labor market.
“The Code of Practice on the Management of Exposure to Sars-Cov-2 in the Workplace remains the guiding principle on matters of health and safety in the workplace and is still the responsibility of all leaders to design an inclusive environment that promotes safety and makes workers comfortable in the workplace,” he also added.According to the government, the code also provides guidance to employers and workers on what are the reasonable practical measures in managing COVID-19. In addition, biologically hazardous agents, one of which is the Coronavirus, are regulated by the Regulations for Hazardous Biological Agents. This regulation imposes a legal obligation on employers to conduct a risk assessment to determine measures to limit infection. At the same time, the regulation transmits and mitigates the risk of serious illness or death of an employee or other persons who may be directly affected by the workplace activities, such as visitors, clients, and contractors. Last week was also reported that the country had recorded the highest number of Coronavirus cases and deaths in Africa, thus counting more than 3.9 million confirmed infections and over 101,000 deaths. Commenting on the situation, Minister Phaahla said that the authorities had noticed a decrease in cases, hospitalizations, and reported deaths, thus concluding that a limited fifth wave was spreading. Initially, the South African vaccination campaign has had difficulties due to limited supplies and protracted negotiations with manufacturers, however, it has recently been reluctant by reluctance. Moreover, about half of the 40 million adults in the African country have received at least one dose of the vaccine, with a total of 46 percent fully vaccinated.