1.5 million people expected to return to work as economy starts to open - Minister Ebrahim Patel
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Details were presented this weekend by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Ebrahim Patel on how the government plans to reopen sectors of the economy with strict safety measures in place on the 1st of May.
It includes:
- The full opening of agriculture, forestry, fishing, horticulture and the transport of livestock and animal auctions;
- A return to 100% capacity at open cast mines;
- The partial opening of manufacturing with 20% of workers restarting as a broad baseline. The exceptions are automotive manufacturing including components, production of cement and other construction materials as well as stationery production which can now be scaled up to 50% production; and
- Consumers would be allowed to buy food from restaurants for home delivery, and can purchase stationery and educational books, tobacco products as well as personal computers and mobile telephones but alcohol sales are still prohibited.
The Minister said the government would be seeking feedback from industries, businesses and trade unions on the measures. At the same briefing, Minister Nskosazana Dlamini-Zuma said if the number of cases of Covid-19 increased rapidly and South Africans did not adhere to the restrictions, the government would not hesitate to slide back to level 5 of the lockdown. - Linda van Tilburg
It includes:
- The full opening of agriculture, forestry, fishing, horticulture and the transport of livestock and animal auctions;
- A return to 100% capacity at open cast mines;
- The partial opening of manufacturing with 20% of workers restarting as a broad baseline. The exceptions are automotive manufacturing including components, production of cement and other construction materials as well as stationery production which can now be scaled up to 50% production; and
- Consumers would be allowed to buy food from restaurants for home delivery, and can purchase stationery and educational books, tobacco products as well as personal computers and mobile telephones but alcohol sales are still prohibited.
The Minister said the government would be seeking feedback from industries, businesses and trade unions on the measures. At the same briefing, Minister Nskosazana Dlamini-Zuma said if the number of cases of Covid-19 increased rapidly and South Africans did not adhere to the restrictions, the government would not hesitate to slide back to level 5 of the lockdown. - Linda van Tilburg
