The Minister of Women Affairs, Community and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Sithembiso Nyoni said that only small to medium enterprises (SMEs) involved in the manufacturing of PPEs, detergents, soap, masks, gloves and those in the food chain are exempted from observing the lockdown measures.
Nyoni added that the exempted SMEs should operate with skeletal staff until they undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing. She said:
The included SMEs are those who are involved in the manufacturing of PPEs, detergents, soap, masks, gloves and those in the food chain.
There are other SMEs providers that include the producers of cooking oil, these are all included in the initiative.
In regard to their exemption, the main purpose is to ensure that we do not want to run out of soap and detergents in this pandemic. We also do not want to run out of mealie-meal and thus millers are included in the system.
Minister Nyoni urged SMEs to liaise with provincial health officers for employees to undergo the mandatory COVID-19 testing for frontline workers which is currently underway.