by Grace Chekai
Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa has elucidated the second phase of lockdown which has seen, industry and commerce sectors resuming operations.
Speaking in a press statement yesterday, Honourable Mutsvangwa said, “On Friday,1 May, His Excellency, the President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced the further easing of lockdown regulations to level 2 which has opened the door for industry and commerce to resume operations, only if they have met the laid down regulations contained in the Statutory 99 of 2020.”
Minister Mutsvangwa explained those encompassed in the industry and commerce sectors as contained in Statutory 99 of 2020.
“What is recognized as formal business are those that hold a shop license or other license from a local authority and operate the business in question from a specified premise, are lessees of premises governed by the Commercial Premises (Lease Control) Act,
“Are registered as an employer for the purpose of the Value Added Tax and are parties to a collective bargaining agreement negotiated through an Employment Council governing the business in question,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
The Minister said that the above categories are only allowed to resume work during, the eased lockdown when the employers and employees have been screened and tested for COVID-19 at the direction of enforcement officers using tests, approved by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
She said that for small organisations, the employees would go to the health facilities/designated testing centres for their testing and for larger organisations; arrangements would have to be made for testing institutions to avoid congestion at the designated testing facilities.
The Minister said all designated testing facilities were to compile and submit daily reports to the Ministry.
The designated facilities include all Government health facilities, all Mission hospitals, all municipality health facilities, and designated private institutions and laboratories.
Minister Mutsvangwa said under level 2, the role of implementation and enforcement agents had been increased to include; physical inspection of business premises to ensure that protective and preventative measures are practised at the premises, to disperse and return home, persons at any business or industry who do not meet the criteria set in SI 99 and the right of access to any land or premises during working hours to ensure, the appropriate provisions of the lockdown order are being complied with.
She urged people to take caution and abide by the WHO regulations on, containing the spread of the coronavirus.
“As more and more of us will be able to leave our homes to go to work, let us not take this as a licence to throw caution in the wind. COVID-19 is still with us and as such, let us continue to practise protective and preventative behaviour as we go out and about,” she said.
In her statement, Minister Mutsvangwa also applauded all those who have partnered with the Government in preparing and responding to the COVID-19 threat. She said, a consolidated record of donations received towards the COVID-19 response was now being made public and that an updated record would be published regularly.
President Mnangagwa extended a nationwide lockdown on Friday by another 14 days. In his message, President Mnangagwa said that he was following the guidelines set by WHO, which had warned countries against lifting restrictions at a time when they were facing a sharp rise in infections.
To date, Zimbabwe has recorded 34 COVID-19 infections, 5 recoveries and 4 deaths.
