COVID-19 AND THE DECIDUOUS FRUIT INDUSTRY
April 2022
President lifts national state of disaster
As you are aware, President Cyril Ramaphosa has lifted South Africa’s national state of disaster more than two years after it was first declared in response to the COVID-19pandemic. Full details of the announcement can be found at https://www.gov.za/speeches/president-cyril-ramaphosa-south-africas-response-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-4-apr-2022. The relevant gazette notice is available at http://www.gpwonline.co.za/Documents/Government/46197_4-4_CoOperativeGovernance.pdf
Going forward, the pandemic will be managed in terms of the National Health Act. The draft Health Regulations have been published for public comment. Once the period for public comment closes on the 16th of April 2022 and the comments have been considered, the new regulations will be finalised and promulgated.
It should be noted that certain provisional regulations will remain in place for a further 30 days to ensure a smooth handover to the new regulations under the National Health Act.
Please find two relevant documents regarding Covid in the workplace:
May 2022
Amendments – Government Gazette 4 May 2022: Amendments to the Regulations 040522
March 2022
Amendments – Government Gazette 23 March 2022: Amendments to the Regulations 230322
Regulations Relating to the Surveillance and the Control of Notifiable Medical Conditions: Amendment
February 2022
Western Cape Government’s workplace vaccination plan.
November 2021
Important resources for growers, packhouses, and other stakeholders:
Workplace resources
WCG Communication material and resources
- General Resources https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/resources
- Workplace safety https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/covid-19-resources-workplaces
- Communication Collateral -WCG Vaccination campaign https://filegooi.co.za/get2/424d0f1b5104e1bf432457b6b32f3eca/Vaccine+Artwork.zip
- Frequently asked questions for employers https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/frequently-asked-questions/employers/frequently-asked-questions-employers and (https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/frequently-asked-questions#how-businesses-can-help
- Vaccination sites https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/news
- Department of Employment and Labour’s Consolidated Direction on Occupational Health and Safety Measures in Certain Workplaces, http://www.labour.gov.za/DocumentCenter/Regulations%20and%20Notices/Notices/Occupational%20Health%20and%20Safety/Consolidated%20Direction%20on%20Occccupational%20Health%20and%20Safety%20measyres%20in%20certain%20workplaces.pdf
B4SA resources
B4SA has drawn up an extensive document debunking common myths around Covid-19 vaccination, which is available for you to use in your own vaccine communications. You can access the document https://www.businessforsa.org/b4sa-vaccine-myths-and-facts-information-sheet/
UNITAR resources
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) has a campaign to promote vaccination and to prevent and reduce Covid-19. 2 free and downloadable “General Use” and “Strategies for Companies” toolkits are available as follows
- Toolkit 1: Designing and implementing campaigns in support of vaccination efforts to prevent and reduce the spread of COVID-19 can be downloaded https://unitar.org/sites/default/files/media/file/Toolkit_COVID-19%20Vaccination%20Campaign.pdf
- Toolkit 2: Strategies for companies: Designing and implementing campaigns in support of vaccination efforts to prevent and reduce the spread of COVID-19 can be downloaded https://unitar.org/sites/default/files/media/file/T2%20Covid%2019%20Vaccination%20Campaign%20-%20Strategies%20for%20companies%20-%201_0.pdf
UNICEF facilitator’s guidebook for schools and communities: UNICEF_FacilitatorGuide
HEALTH SCREENING TOOL
Download a COVID-19 farm screening tool that can be used if workers/members have flu-like symptoms and come in contact with someone who may have the coronavirus, here: daily-monitoring-farms-doc
HORTGRO STAFF AT YOUR SERVICE:
- Finance: Louis van Zyl (083 658 8156 )
- Special Projects/Producer support: Mariette Kotze (084 761 1310)
- Trade & Markets: Jacques du Preez (082 864 8149)
- Research & Technical: Hugh Campbell (083 306 6668) of Wiehann Steyn (082 331 0056)
- Communications: Elise-Marie Steenkamp (082 770 7858)