When asked about workers staying away if they didn't feel safe, Nxesi said: “We are going to rely, one, on the organised workers, the unions. Shop stewards become very important to help us because we can’t be at every workplace. Secondly, we’ve requested that health and safety committees are put in place at every workplace to deal with what is emerging so they can resolve those issues. Those must have worker representation.
The amended directives will also contain details of responsibilities of employers about their employees who have underlying heath conditions and those that are older than 60. Nxesi said the draft amendments would be finalised and published, either on Friday or at the weekend, ahead of level 3 starting on June 1.Inspectors dispatched by the department had been arriving unannounced at workplaces, and will continue to do so under level 3.Those employers who continue to disobey precautionary measures will be sanctioned accordingly, Nxesi said.
I want to know why there are no policies in place to shield those with co-morbitities - how are they to shop and operate in the world. We need systems in place to help this group of the population as the virus explodes. Also, why are we not shielding our senior doctors from work?