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Senzo Mchunu, the minister of public service and administration, has assured public servants returning to work under level 4 of the blockade that steps will be taken to ensure order and their safety.
In reporting to the media on Friday, Mchunu said that some public servants in various fields had continued to work under the national blockade, including the police service, health workers and emergency personnel.
“We are working hard to look at the state’s capabilities in a number of areas to evaluate, adjust and adapt our operations for the future to provide optimal services during the pandemic,” said the minister.
The minister said that a circular was issued to all government, national and provincial departments, detailing what was expected of each department to ensure the safety of workers upon their return.
Mchunu said that during the transition between the levels of blockade, the focus of the public service would be to ensure the provision of all services necessary for the effective operation of the government and to guarantee support to all sectors that would become active at different levels of blockade.
However, the minister warned against all public service employees to return to work immediately. He said employers should take the necessary steps to encourage employees, who could, to work from home by providing resources such as data, laptops or desktops.
Read: Sending people back to work without trying them is a big mistake
Mchunu said employees who work from home will receive data reimbursements.
“Those who work from home may occasionally be required to report to the office to receive instructions, documentation, access infrastructure, and submit completed tasks.”
He said that before reopening all the apartments, a thorough cleaning would be carried out; each employee would have to be examined and their temperature taken; Cloth masks would be mandatory at all times in the workplace by non-medical personnel; and hand sanitizers would be available at strategic locations.
Mchunu said employers should work on a rotating schedule to allow employees to balance their lives because schoolchildren were still at home.
All employees whose operational requirements require personal protective equipment will receive such at all times.
The minister said that a circular was issued to all government, national and provincial departments, detailing what was expected of each department to ensure the safety of workers upon their return.
In line with the circular, the minister announced that:
. Departments develop a timeline for a phased return of the workforce, which would help manage numbers and maintain service and business continuity;
. This schedule should be disseminated to all relevant employees and sectors to support the restart of the economy;
. CEOs and department heads had to ensure that employees who were required to be in the workplace were granted the necessary permits to authorize travel for work purposes;
. To limit the number of employees arriving, leaving, or working at the same time, department heads should consider amending work schedules to minimize the risk associated with the simultaneous arrival and departure of employees; and
. To reduce the number of employees at the same time in common areas, such as kitchens and dining rooms, employee meal intervals should be staggered.
