People's Post Maitland | Woodstock - 14 July 2020 by People's Post

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TUESDAY 14 July 2020 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | Email: post@peoplespost.co.za | Website: www.peoplespost.co.za

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Restoring dignity KAYLYNNE BANTOM KAYLYNNE.BANTOM@MEDIA24.COM

“E

mpowering girls to make them realise that they were born to make an impact.” This was the key message that Kensington police members wished to instil in teen girls during an awareness programme held at the Kensington Baptist church on Wednesday 8 July. The event was organised by Kensington police station and targeted a group of about 30 girls aged 10 to 18. They received motivational talks from various organisations. Kensington police spokesperson Sgt Angeline Ah-sing said the aim was to address the surge in gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa. She added that the group had been educated about all forms of violence. The girls were also encouraged to speak out and not to allow anyone to mistreat them. “We partnered with our counterparts at Table Bay Harbour police and Dignity Campaign to try and make our girls feel special and to take the opportunity to educate them on Covid-19 regulations and precautions.” Ah-sing said a speaker from gender rights group Sonke Gender Justice addressed the group and informed them about sexual offences. “We were honoured to have two station commanders addressing the girls and gave them the assurance that if they have any problems they would be addressed and that they have a friend in the police.” The officer said the idea was also to keep the girls occupied for a few hours. “We know many of our youth are struggling with a new normal and isolation and wanted to give them a little time away from their homes.” Chrystal Kannemeyer, the operating manager for the non-profit organisation (NPO) Dignity Project, said events like these were important. The NPO aims to empower young people to find their identity, belonging and purpose in God. “With programmes like these,

A young girl opens her Dignity Pack that contains three washable or reusable pads, soap, and a facecloth. we can encourage young people to surround themselves with positive people or friends,” explained Kannemeyer. She said the NPO was currently running a fundraising campaign entitled Donate for Dignity, which aims to supply girls with sanitary products. “With the Covid-19 lockdown in the country, many communities are in desperate need of food and other resources. Buying sanitary products becomes a secondary product and we want to assist by giving girls a dignity pack.” She said a dignity pack contains three washable or reusable pads, soap, and a facecloth. She added that, with the reusable pads, girls would be able to care for their bodies with dignity during their periods. “When families lack the resources to buy menstrual products, girls resort to using unsanitary items like toilet paper, newspaper, or socks during their periods, which can lead to an infection.

Washable pads last for up to five years.” She explained that each girl who attended the event on Wednesday was supplied with a dignity pack. The NPO aims to supply 1 000 dignity packs to girls countrywide. Ah-sing said the programme also allowed for the teenagers to bury any negative thoughts that hindered them from living their true potential. “We had a ‘funeral’ where the girls wrote any negative thing that was said to them on a piece paper, look at it for the last time and told to tear the paper up, put it in an envelope and buried it in a box so they will no longer identify with that negative word or feeling.” Ah-sing thanked donors who came on board and supplied the children with food parcels which they could take home to their families. She said the donations were enough for at least two to three days.

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People’s Post

Churches robbed of respect KAYLYNNE BANTOM

gants at one time). However, Abrahams says the church took a collective decision to remain closed. Abrahams says thieves have also removed the roof tiling of the church. “This has caused extra damage to the ceiling when it rained, especially in the kitchen.” The priest says, in a bid to feed hungry parishioners and the wider community affected by the lockdown, they have started a food security programme with the help of generous donors. He encouraged people to start taking pride in religious institutions again. “People knew places of worship were important back in the day. It was a safe haven to some, a place of light and hope. But all that respect is gone.” Abrahams claims most of the criminal activities are carried out by young people, something he describes as discouraging. “All of us are struggling. There is a deep sense of desperation, but that still doesn’t warrant desecrating a place of worship.” The priest says his prayer is that everything will change and for people to start realising the importance of places of worship again.

“Respect for sacred places of worship has gone out of the window.” So says Joshua Abrahams, a priest at St Timothy’s Anglican church in Factreton. Abrahams believes, with several churches and other religious institutions yet to reopen after months of national lockdown, opportunistic criminals are seeing churches as easy targets. Abrahams explains his church was left without electricity for an entire week after thieves stole its meter box. Cathy Scholtz, a parishioner and council member at the church, says she lives opposite the building and often goes to check on it. However, she was left furious on Friday 25 June when she discovered thieves had pounced. “I went to check like I normally do. When I tried to switch on the light, that’s when I noticed the box was stolen,” she says. Scholtz says this made the building vulnerable as the alarm system was also deactivated in the process. She says it’s devastating to see how people can vandalise a church building. “I have seen how this church was built since I have lived here for the past 62 years. This is a house of the Lord and they have no respect.” The meter box has since been replaced, but Abrahams is worried about the cost. “We were told that the box costs well over R2 000.” A financial burden that the church, like many other religious institutions, can ill afford. With the easing of the lockdown regulations under level three, churches are again allowed to operate un- Thieves targeted St Timothy’s der strict health protocols Anglican church in Factreton, (no more than 50 congre- stealing its electricity meter box.

2 NEWS

PEOPLE'S POST | WOODSTOCK | MAITLAND Tuesday, 14 July 2020

Nal’ibali puts children first To coincide with Mancould be infected and dela Day, Nal’ibali – a potentially infect reading-for-enjoyment other family memcampaign – will be leadbers, or do you homeing the discussion from school, bearing in a child’s perspective, fomind that their psycusing specifically on chological developtheir rights to education ment could be imand well-being. pacted?” The campaign will Caregivers wanthost a free WhatsApp ing to find out more webinar on Thursday 16 about how their chilJuly, between 15:00 and dren may be experi17:00, with Christina encing the transition Nomdo, the Western back to school, and Cape commissioner for how to support them children’s rights; Prousing simple techfessor Joanne Hardman, niques like role playassociate professor of ing and sharing stoeducational psychology ries, are invited to at UCT’s School of Edu- Jonathan Jansen is a distinguished join Nal’ibali’s webication; and Xolisa Guzu- professor of education at the University nar. Further inforla, a PhD candidate fo- of Stellenbosch. He is president of the mation on supportcusing on language, lit- Academy of Science of South Africa and ing children emoeracy and bi-literacy in 2020 will be a Knight-Hennessey tionally and development, and multi- Fellow. academically is also lingual teaching. available in the special July edition of the This campaign comes as teachers and chil- Nal’ibali bilingual story supplement availadren face uncertainty with regards to educa- ble for download, free, from the Nal’ibali tion. website and selected newspapers. The discussion will highlight the psychoJonathan Jansen, distinguished professor logical impact on children of staying at of education at Stellenbosch University, adhome, going back to school and how caregiv- vises parents to take their role in supporting ers can support them through these transi- their children seriously. “In order for chiltions. dren to process their thoughts and feelings, Hardman explains: “Human beings are es- they need to be engaged in on-going and guidsentially social beings. The very develop- ed conversations with caring adults.” ment of our sense of self has been proven by He says sharing stories is a good way to neuroscience to rely on interaction with oth- allow them to express themselves. “For more ers. Isolation, therefore, is likely to lead to information on how to use stories to engage anxiety and depression and a general loss of children in conversation around difficult a sense of well-being for both young children emotions, visit the Nal’ibali reading-for-enand teenagers.” joyment campaign’s website,” he says, or She adds: “The pandemic has placed par- join the webinar on Thursday. ents and teachers in a catch-22 situation. Do V Join the webinar at https://bit.ly/2BN5IlG or visit you send your children to school where they www.nalibali.org.

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Mayco member for community services and health, Zahid Badroodien at a local library.

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Libraries reopen SAMANTHA LEE-JACOBS @Samantha_Lee121

ibrary users are excited to return as the City of Cape Town announced its plans to reopen selected library facilities in a phasedin approach. A total of seven libraries, including Mitchell’s Plain Town Centre, Central Library, Wesfleur, Strand, Harare, Fish Hoek and Parow, opened to the public yesterday, Monday 13 July. Library materials from any library in the City can be dropped at these facilities. “Our libraries are among the facilities that have been missed the most during this time and we know our patrons are anxious to once again step into a world of books. Recent regulations allow libraries to open and the City’s library services will resume in a phased approach,” says Mayco member for community services and health, Zahid Badroodien. Strict measures in line with Covid19 regulations will be observed and library services will also be guided by the national ministry. “We know that people are keen to visit libraries and our staff will do their best to comply with the demand for library services. However, we request that communities bear with us as we endeavour to safeguard our staff and patrons during this challenging time,” says Badroodien. In a social media poll of frequent library users, Lindsey Mansfield says it may be oldfashioned, but the value of books “should not be lost”. “The internet is great, but there is something about the smell of books, the feeling of holding a book. Reading is lost on this generation and I don’t want that for my children.

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I want them to love reading. We were raised to read books before TV and all the technology there is today,” she says. Mark Williams says the libraries are not only for reading. “It offers a quiet place to read and work or internet for those who do not have access at home,” he says. “I am not that excited to return though because we don’t know how safe it will be to go back now.” The staff of the first seven libraries will return and introduce a safe drop and collect service. Wearing masks and practising social distancing will be required, and returned books will be quarantined for 72 hours before it is handled. Library users will be allowed to borrow 20 items at a time for 30 days. Badroodien says staff will collate the material and call patrons with arrangements to collect the items within two days of their request. Patrons can also approach the library and request materials without prior arrangement. The service will be available from Monday to Saturday, while a special service for senior citizens (60 years and older) and patrons who are physically challenged will be provided from 09:00 - 10:00 from Monday to Friday. All patrons are welcome to access the service from 10:00 - 16:00 daily during the week; while the Saturday service provision will be from 9:00 - 12:00. No fines will be incurred on outstanding material during this time. V Patrons can check the online library catalogue at opac.capetown.gov.za for the seven libraries and submit requests for specific books or general material, via email or telephonically.

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PEOPLE'S POST | WOODSTOCK | MAITLAND Tuesday, 14 July 2020

CRIME

Bogus officials con residents SAMANTHA LEE-JACOBS @Samantha_Lee121

riminals are using the current Covid-19 pandemic as part of a new scam to solicit donations from the residents. The City of Cape Town has warned of a recent scam involving a group of people who are impersonating solid waste staff. The group claim to have been retrenched and asks for money or donations. The most recent incident took place in the Wynberg area and was reported to the City’s customer service department on Wednesday 24 June. “Residents are advised that no solid waste staff have been retrenched recently. Solid waste management, including refuse collection, is an essential service that has continued

The City of Cape Town has warned residents of criminals posing as solid waste staff. These are in fact scammers and should be reported to police. PHOTO: SAMANTHA LEE-JACOBS

throughout the lockdown period. Residents should please keep this in mind if they are approached,” says Xanthia Limberg, Mayco member for water and waste. “City officials carry official identification that residents can ask to see, confirming they are there legitimately performing their duties. Council employees are not allowed to solicit money from residents. Residents are requested to refrain from entertaining any requests of this nature and to report it.” While this particular modus operandi has not been reported to the City before, “council employees” are often used in scams across the city. In January, men posing as electricity officials, carrying some form of identification, targeted elderly residents insisting they open their doors so that electricity infrastructure could be checked. Once inside they would take valuables (“Scammers target elderly citizens”, People’s Post, 28 January). People’s Post has been reporting on these scams for several years, with electricity, water and sanitation and human settlements department officials most commonly being impersonated to gain access to homes. “The City has not received reports of this particular scheme from residents in other areas. However, there are cases of individuals posing as City officials to gain access to people’s homes, most commonly as electricity meter reading staff, that are reported periodically over the years. The City issues a statement annually, in December, reminding residents that they are not obligated to give staff ‘Christmas boxes’ and should report cases of staff soliciting these. Residents are of course free to give if they so wish, but it is not required,” says Limberg. Recently, mayor Dan Plato issued a statement warning of another scam involving electricity staff.

“During the national Covid-19 lockdown, which is under way, residents should be aware of people posing as City officials wanting to do routine work at premises,” he says. “If staff need access to a property, residents must insist on City staff cards at the very least. The only electricity services that continue are first line responses to network faults and breakdowns. Repairs that are imperative from a safety perspective are being prioritised.” He continues that all municipal workers and contractors must carry a work order number specific to that dwelling and a City-issued identification card. The card must display the City logo, the name and surname of the staff member or mandated contractor, and must contain an embedded photo of the staff member or mandated contractor. Residents are not to allow anyone onto their premises until they have looked at the card and verified these details. In another release by Phindile Maxiti, Mayco member for energy and climate change, fake electricity officials were reported asking for details about the customer’s prepaid electricity meter in an attempt to gain access to their home. “An apparent criminal visited at least one resident, that the City is aware of, at their home and asked for the prepaid electricity meter number in an attempt to gain access to the house. They claimed to need that information so a discount on electricity costs for pensioners could be provided. Fortunately in this instance, the resident, who lives in the Oakglen, Bellville area, did not allow the individual access to their home,” says Maxiti. V Report suspicious behaviour to the City’s Fraud hotline 0800 323 130, its emergency line 021 480 7700 from a cellphone or 107 from a landline or report matters to your nearest police station.

Traders to register on City database The City of Cape Town’s urban management directorate is encouraging informal traders who have not yet registered with the City’s database to do so in order to trade legally. Currently informal traders who are registered with the City’s database, have Covid-19 lockdown permits, or who have concession letters, are allowed to trade. Urban management compliance officers and community ambassadors are continuously checking the informal trading permits and ensuring that overtrading of bays are adhered to. Unemployed individuals are encouraged to apply for an informal trading permit. South African citizens will need to provide their IDs and foreigners will need to provide proof of their legal status in the country. In addition, informal traders are advised that their lockdown trading permits obtained under alert level four and five are still valid under level three. Traders with these permits, who have not yet registered with the e-Services Portal/database, are encouraged to also consider doing so to ensure they are able to continue earning a living within the confines of the law, once the national lockdown is lifted. To apply, follow these steps: . Register for the City of Cape Town’s e-Services . Activate the informal trading service on e-Services . Apply for a trading bay. V For more information and/or queries call 021 400 3131 or use the email informal.trading@capetown.gov.za.

4 NEWS

PEOPLE'S POST | WOODSTOCK | MAITLAND Tuesday, 14 July 2020

ENVIRONMENT

Uprooted trees were ‘healthy’ NETTALIE VILJOEN

he two trees which blew over last month – damaging at least four parked vehicles at the Wynberg library as they fell – showed no signs of any disease, the City of Cape Town has stated. According to the City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre, several larger trees were uprooted in Wynberg, Plumstead, Fish Hoek and Retreat due to the severe weather conditions on the morning of Saturday 27 June. Two of these were located at a parking lot in Glaren Road. When City officials arrived at the site later that day, they noted that one of the trees damaged one car extensively, whilst the other tree damaged a number of cars to various degrees. “At the time, four cars in total were observed to be damaged,” the Mayco member for community services and health, Zahid Badroodien said. The City’s recreation and parks horticultural emergency standby teams normally consist of 25 staff members who perform standby duties after hours across the city. These internal teams are also supported by chainsaw operators, grab/crane trucks and cherry pickers. Badroodien said when it became clear a storm was going to hit the city during the early hours of Saturday 27 June, the department prepared in advance and placed 12 additional staff members on call. By the time the incident at Wynberg library had been reported, standby teams were already attending to numerous call-outs of fallen trees and branches blocking roads elsewhere. According to Badroodien, over 50 call-outs were received on that day alone. “Available teams responded, and work at the library progressed between 12:00 and

Of the two huge gum trees uprooted at the Wynberg library parking lot on Saturday 27 June, only the root boles still remained by Tuesday 30 June. PHOTO: THERESA SMITH 16:00 on Saturday. By 16:00, all vehicles were cleared and removed from the site.” Most of the branches and trunks were subsequently cleared from the area. By Tuesday 30 June, only the root boles were still left to be removed. Badroodien said the uprooted gum (Eucalyptus) trees were approximately 50 years old and measured between 18 and 20 metres in height. Asked if the City could determine a reason why these established trees might have blown over, Badroodien replied that an assessment of the foliage of the crown of the trees indicated they were in a healthy and vibrant condition. “The two trees were not in distress and fell over as a result of very strong winds that completely uprooted them.”

But Badroodien said it had been noted the trees had been located in a tarred area, with paved surfaces encroaching fairly close to the main trunks which could have affected the roots. “However, If the roots had been compromised, there would be visible signs in the condition of each tree’s canopy which indicated that by all measures, the trees were healthy,” Badroodien said. A local arborist, Francois Krige, said he had not inspected the gums that fell in the Wynberg library parking area. “But several arborists have told me that their roots were cut for paving a few weeks back. This would definitely contribute to them falling,” he said. On the subject of paving and their effect on trees, Krige said trees do like permeable

paving compared to conventional paving. “And so does the water table and aquifer. It’s important that rainfall does not end up in the stormwater system. No paving or tarring should come right up to the base of a tree, for the sake of the tree and the paving. It will buckle and lift quickly if it is not kept back to allow for growth. These are commonsense issues that are routinely neglected in our urban areas,” he added. According to Badroodien, over the next few months, the City will inspect and, if necessary, prune the remaining trees at the library parking lot “within the provisions of national lockdown regulations, currently restricted to alert level three”. Once a proper assessment of the area had been conducted, he said, trees would be replanted if deemed suitable. “At this stage, it is not likely that another Eucalyptus species will be planted, as they are not ideal for parking lots due to being a relatively large species and also prone to self-pruning (shedding branches when required).” With the images of the crushed vehicles posted on Facebook still fresh in homeowners’ memory, chances are some may be eyeing their towering trees with distrust. But Krige says this kind of damage is predictable and entirely avoidable. “We have storms like this often in Cape Town, usually one every winter. Have your trees inspected by a good arborist who is experienced in hazard assessments. There are signs that a tree is unstable or decayed or otherwise dangerous,” he advised. V The City relies on a partnership with the community to identify high-risk trees located on public land. Go to eservices1.capetown.gov.za/coct/wapl/zsreq_app/ index.html, select “report a fault” and create a service request under “City Parks (maintenance)”.

NEWS 5

PEOPLE'S POST | WOODSTOCK | MAITLAND Tuesday, 14 July 2020

COVID-19 LOCKDOWN

Ban on liquor sales a sobering reality SAMANTHA LEE-JACOBS @Samantha_Lee121

a quarter of those who died passed away in the last week.” t 20:30 on Sunday 12 July, He said while the surge in South Africans let out a infections was expected, “the collective gasp. President Cyforce and the speed with ril Ramaphosa had shocked which it has progressed has, the nation during his national quite understandably, address. caused great concern”. And it was not because of “The coronavirus storm is the spike in Covid-19 cases, The liquor ban has been far fiercer and more destructhe climbing death toll or the reinstated. PHOTO: SAMANTHA tive than any we have known lack of adhering to restric- LEE-JACOBS before. It is stretching our retions – although it probably sources and our resolve to should have been. No, what left everyone their limits. The surge of infections that our stunned was the president’s reinstatement of experts and scientists predicted over three the liquor ban – with immediate effect. months ago has now arrived. It started in the While many had expected the ban to be re- Western Cape and is now under way in the instated or for the country to be moved to a Eastern Cape and Gauteng,” he said. higher lockdown alert level (which would “Gauteng is fast approaching 100 000 conmean a ban on liquor sales in any case) a firmed cases. The Eastern Cape has passed week or two down the line, no one expected 50 000 cases, and although the rate of transthe ban to start right away. mission has slowed in the Western Cape, it Drinkers weren’t given any time to stock will soon have 80 000 cases.” up on their booze, leaving consumers Ramaphosa added that, at the current proshocked, confused and even angry. jections, each province would reach the peak “We were told not to panic buy, not to stock of infections at different times between the up and look now. What a joke. This is ridicu- end of July and late September. lous,” says William Jacobs. “Yet, while infections rise exponentially, it A liquor store owner who asked not to be is important to note that our case fatality rate named out of fear of victimisation says he on- of 1.5% is among the lowest in the world,” he ly just started seeing the light at the end of said. the tunnel. Ramaphosa said many citizens were still “I am shocked. I am an independent seller not wearing masks or adhering to funeral and we do not have the reserves that the big number restrictions, organising and attendliquor chains have. I did not have reserves ing family gatherings and disregarding reguplanned for the sale to be cut again. We just lations. started making money again and now it looks “It is concerning that many are downplaylike we will have to close for good,” he says. ing the seriousness of the virus, despite all “We just started buying in stock and lost evidence to the contrary and what we have so much because of the three months of lost cautioned on numerous occasions,” he said. trade. Expired stock is not being compensat“This may be a disease that is caused by a ed and now we will have even bigger losses,” virus, but it is spread by human conduct and he adds. behaviour ... As we confront the rapid rise in But the possible return to a ban had been infections, as we ready ourselves for the diffihinted at following Ramaphosa’s previous cult days, weeks and months that lie ahead, address on Wednesday 17 June when he we need to remind ourselves of the absolute spoke at length about the effect of alcohol necessity of the measures we have taken.” abuse on the gender-based violence “panHe urged citizens to keep their social disdemic”. tance, to wear masks and to wash or sanitise Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize also con- hands frequently. firmed that the department had submitted For now, the country will remain on lockconcerns over alcohol sales to the National down alert level three. Other announceCoronavirus Command Council after the lift- ments made on Sunday include: ing of the ban had created an influx of trauma . Long-distance taxis will be required to patients amid a rise in Covid-19 patients. carry only a 70% load. In his address to the nation on Sunday 12 . Taxis doing local trips will be permitted July, Ramaphosa said the new restrictions to carry 100% load. The wearing of masks were necessary. will also be strictly enforced. After more than 100 days in lockdown, the . A curfew of 21:00 to 04:00 has also been projections of South Africa’s peak was rapid- implemented. Only travel to and from work ly becoming a reality. The president said or seeking medical assistance will be allowed 276 242 people had tested positive in the coun- during this time. try, with more than 12 000 new cases being re. Auctions will be permitted subject to corded every day. protocols and parks will be open for exercise “Since the start of the outbreak in March, but not for any form of gathering. at least 4 079 people have died from Covid-19,” . Because of the risk, family visits and othhe said. “What should concern us most is that er social activities will not be allowed.

When it doesn’t rain but pours NETTALIE VILJOEN On Saturday 27 June, four vehicles parked outside the Wynberg library in Glaren Road were damaged when two gum trees blew over as a result of severe weather conditions. Luckily, no one was injured in the incident. Discounting the financial loss, of course. So seeing that the cars were parked on public land when the “accident” happened, who would be liable for the repair or replacement of the vehicles? According to Fanus Coetzee, the head of claims at Santam, in the case where a storm causes trees to be uprooted – thereby causing damage to other property – the elements of fault and wrongfulness are absent. “The car owners would be able to claim from their insurers if they have the correct cover in place. Should the car owners not have a waiver of excess on their policy, they would have to pay the excess themselves,” he says. But what if the car owners do not have insurance cover? Could they submit a claim to the City of Cape Town? Coetzee says, probably not.

“In that the City did nothing wrong to cause the trees to fall over or become uprooted and the City was not at fault for a weather-related incident. Usually, these claims are not settled under the public liability cover due to the damage having been caused by an ‘Act of God’, therefore, an act beyond human control.” He explains that claims based on liability, in this instance, public liability, are claims based on the law of delict and require the insured to be legally liable to another party. In this instance, the City would need to be legally liable to the owners of the vehicle that were damaged. “The claimant needs to prove this legal liability – which has five elements and all five elements need to be present,” Coetzee says. These elements are: . A commission or omission of an act; . which is unlawful or wrongful (wrongfulness); . committed negligently or with a particular intent (fault); . which results in or causes harm (causation); and . the suffering of injury, loss or damage (harm).

6 NEWS

PEOPLE'S POST | WOODSTOCK | MAITLAND Tuesday, 14 July 2020

Premier isolates after positive Covid results Western Cape Premier, Alan Winde, has tested positive for Covid-19. He has commenced his 14-day selfisolation but continues to attend virtual meetings in addressing the pandemic, including meeting with president Cyril Ramaphosa on the province’s pandemic response. “On Sunday (5 July), I started to develop mild flu-like symptoms. As I am diabetic (type 2) and over 55 years of age, I know I am at a higher risk of developing a more serious illness. I therefore went to be tested to determine the cause of the symptoms on Monday,” he says in a statement on social media. He describes his symptoms as mild and received the diagnosis on Wednesday 8 July. “I will still be taking all meetings to coordinate our Covid-19 response in the Western Cape. The Western Cape has

been working around the clock to ready our healthcare system for the increase in cases expected over this time, and we will not let our foot off the pedal. The fight continues,” he says, urging residents to show kindness as “anyone can get it”. “My message to the people of the Western Cape at this time is to take Covid-19 seriously. Anyone can get it. So, please keep yourself safe, and your loved ones safe. Follow the five golden rules at all times, including wearing a cloth mask, cleaning surfaces regularly and washing or sanitising your hands often. And, please be kind, and compassionate at all times. To those residents who have also tested positive for Covid-19, I wish you strength and speedy recovery. This is a difficult time for all of you and your families, and I want you to know that the Western Cape govern-

Bursaries up for grabs

ment is doing everything it can to make sure we beat this pandemic.”

The Shoprite group has opened bursary applications for the 2021 academic year. The group invests in students acquiring skills relevant to its business and it is specifically offering bursaries for the following fields: . Data science (3rd and 4th year) . Data engineering (1st year) . IT (ND: IT; BSc or BCom: information systems – all years) . Accounting (1st and 2nd year) . Pharmacy (1st year) . Retail business management (all years) Each bursary comes with a work-back agreement to deepen learning with a strong practical

Western Cape premier Alan Winde tested positive for Covid-19. PHO-

element to gain hands-on experience in the business. “With unemployment levels continuing to increase as South Africans grapple with the economic fallout of Covid-19, our bursary programme offers opportunities to highly motivated and ambitious young people. We’re looking for students who can grow into the future leaders of our industry,” says Lungile Koti, the group’s graduate recruitment manager. Students with a 60% aggregate or higher are encouraged to apply for the bursary programme by visiting the bursary and graduate opportunities page on www.shopriteholdings.co.za before Wednesday 30 September 2020.

TO: SAMANTHA LEE-JACOBS

COVID-19

Don’t dismiss social gathering restrictions NETTALIE VILJOEN

“W

here were you on Father’s Day, Sunday 21 June?” For an unlucky few, this might very well be a question they are asked at a disciplinary hearing. A lot has been said about the responsibility of employers to implement Covid-19 health protocols at the workplace, but it seems employees can also be held accountable if they knowingly place their colleagues and their family members at risk. Social gatherings represent such a quagmire. Level three lockdown restrictions only allow for groups of people to gather for professional, non-contact sports, workplace meetings, funerals, agricultural auctions, and services at faith-based institutions. Attendance is limited to 50 people. In a message sent out to warn employees of possible pitfalls, a human resource department shared these two scenarios. In the first, an employee invited friends to a birthday party while the individual, who had been exposed to the virus, was practising self-isolation at home. In another, an employee attended a family get-together while knowing one of the family members present was waiting to hear if fellow colleagues had tested positive for Covid-19. A few days later, the family member tested positive. Dhevarsha Ramjettan, a partner at the law firm Webber Wentzel, says, generally, an employer is required to consider and mitigate hazards to employees as a result of their work or the employer’s operations. “However, Covid-19 is a unique workplace hazard, stemming from a public health issue which employers are required to take reasonably practicable measures to prevent spreading in the workplace. Accordingly, one of the key considerations that employers must take is how to best protect employees from contracting Covid-19 outside of the workplace in order to prevent those employees from spreading the virus when they attend the workplace,” she says. Ramjettan says that in this regard, it is reasonable to expect that an employer has stringent policies in place, such as taking disciplinary measures against an irresponsible employee who was knowingly in high-risk contact with a Covid-19 positive person or could have reasonably foreseen that there would have been the potential danger of contracting the virus and acting in contravention of the legislation. In the same vain, a person who has been in contact with a person who is infected or contaminated with Covid-19, is obliged to self-isolate and not go to work for example in terms of the prevailing legislation. “In keeping with the principles of an employer being required to take reasonably practicable measures to prevent spreading of the virus in the workplace, it is reasonable for an employer to hold an irresponsible employee who endangers fellow employees, accountable for their actions,” she adds.

Whether a dismissal which arises from such disciplinary action would be considered “fair” is debatable. When People’s Post asked David Esau, provincial chief inspector at the department of employment and labour, if it would be legal for an employer to fire an employee if it was found the employee acted irresponsibly by not following restrictions, he said, no. “What people do in their private time is their business. They (the employer) can’t prove that . . . It’s an unfair dismissal.” Esau said employees who were dismissed under these circumstances could approach the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). Ramjettan confirms that the link between the wrongdoing of the employee and his/her employment must be reasonably established. “It would be unreasonable to hold an employee accountable for infecting co-employees in the workplace if he/she did not know that their live-in partner was Covid-19 positive at the time, for example,” she explains. Once someone tests positive for Covid-19, contact tracing takes place. An article published on News24 (“What is Covid-19 contact tracing and how does it work? We ask an expert”, 3 April) states that an infected person is interviewed by a contact tracer to establish how many people they may have been in contact with and who those people are. Close contacts are those who have had face-to-face contact with a confirmed case for a period of more than 15 minutes or those who have shared an enclosed space with a confirmed case for more than two hours. But how confidential is this information and would it be legal to use it as evidence in a disciplinary procedure? Ramjettan says the regulations provide that the national department of health is to develop and maintain a national database, including contact tracing to guide appropriate responses in addressing, preventing or combatting the spread of Covid-19. “The Covid-19 database and any information obtained through this regulation is confidential and that once the National State of Disaster has lapsed or terminated, the information will be de-identified,” she says. Ramjettan further explains that an employer is also required to monitor and assess the health status of its employees as part of the daily screening for Covid-19 related symptoms. Information on the health status of an employee should always be confidential and be processed in accordance with the provisions of the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPI). “If the health information about an employee is acquired lawfully, then such information in the context of this particular scenario (where the employee was positive or in contact with a positive case in a high-risk situation and infected co-workers by being irresponsible and flouting the policies of the employer), such information may be used in a disciplinary inquiry,” she concludes.

NOTICE OF MEETINGS OF THE SUBCOUNCILS: JULY 2020 Notice is hereby given that the meetings of the 24 subcouncils of the City of Cape Town will take place at the time and venue indicated in the schedule below: Subcouncil

Date

Time

23 July 2020