Question NW1221 to the Minister of Health
07 July 2020 - NW1221
Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of Health
(1)How is his department working with the mines to conduct tracking and tracing in view of the increasing number of positive Covid-19 cases at the mines; (2) whether there is any training conducted for miners to properly assist them with social distancing?
Reply:
1. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has issued Government Notice No. 43335 on the 18 May 2020 covering the Mandatory Code of Practice on the Mitigation and Management of the COVID-19 Outbreak. As part of the code of practice, the mines have a contact tracing programme for contacts of COVID-19 cases identified on the mine and works with the district communicable disease coordinator on tracing of contacts beyond the mine. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) contact tracing protocol is followed. The mines submit weekly reports to the Minerals Council South Africa, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and the Department of Health, on the number of miners screened, tested, those who have recovered and contacts traced for the index case;
2. The mines have a comprehensive programme on the Covid-19 response including risk assessments and public health interventions including social distancing. Communication materials and training is provided to the miners on the Covid-19 response and social distancing by the mining companies.
END.