The Southern African Wildlife College takes its responsibility to manage the health and safety of its employees in the workplace seriously. We will always undertake any and all measures to do so, whilst also adhering to required legislation.
In light of the President of South Africa, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa’s, address on 23 March 2020 at 19h30, the whole of South Africa will go into an enforced lockdown for 21 days from midnight on Thursday, 26 March 2020. This is to ensure the health and safety of all citizens to reduce infections and deaths as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
This is a challenging time globally. The SAWC will support the protocols put in place by our government, and will work around these. We will as such all need to stand together to help each other, and do what is best to ensure everyone’s health and safety.
As a result, and further to the protocols already published and shared, the College will go into a closure period as part of the promulgated 21-day lockdown. All the SAWC’s contractual obligations will still, in as far as is possible, be met. Protocols around this have been advised by the College’s Executive Committee to the Management Committee and Staff.
To comply with the new national regulations as announced by the President, it must be noted that entry into the College’s main gate will be completely restricted as of Thursday, 26 March 2020 at midnight. Residents living on site will be required to follow and obey the new regulations being implemented by government; as will residents in every city, town and village across South Africa.
Specific measures have been put in place by the President as part of the fundamental task to curb the spread of the virus. This has required immediate, swift and extraordinary action by government, and in turn the citizens of South Africa, and the SAWC.
As per the President’s announcement, the only categories exempted from the lockdown include:
- Health Workers
- Emergency Personnel
- Security Personnel (which include police and law enforcement services)
- Production and Distribution (specific sectors)
- Essential Banking Services
- Power
- Laboratory Services
- Hygiene Services
- Defence Forces who will be deployed to assist the police.
From a College perspective:
- The required lockdown will be enforced and all regulations will be complied with.
- Essential services will however still operate. The College will ensure if there are emergency breakdowns, lights and water will still be available to residents on site, as both are essential services.
- All staff will continue to be updated on developments via the Covid-19 WhatsApp group. The SAWC Board and other key partners will be updated by the SAWC CEO. Other stakeholders will continue to be communicated with via our external news and social media channels. Any further changes to the SAWC’s protocols will also be communicated.
We thank you for your understanding as we all try to deal with these unchartered waters on a global scale.
In the words of our President, we have been asked to be courageous, to be patient, and above all, to show compassion but to never despair as we will surely prevail.
May you all stay protected and safe.
Yours sincerely,
Theresa Sowry
Chief Executive Officer
