A media briefing on coronavirus interventions in South Africa was held on Monday after President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of disaster.
The transport minister, Fikile Mbalula laid out a plan as to who the transport industry is planning on dealing with coronavirus. Taxi Industry Mbalula announced that there will be random screening of passengers for the Covid-19 virus at all taxi ranks and train stations. The Taxi industry transports more than 16 million people and thus there are plans for robust interventions and awareness to manage coronavirus risks. “We will implement an aggressive information drive to create awareness and promote preventative measures. Taxi and bus operators must become ambassadors whose task is to disseminate information,” Mbalula said. The Department of Transport will also engage the leadership of the taxi and bus industries to establish an information drive. They will work closely with the Department of Health on preventative measures in the public transport environment. Cross Border Road Transport AgencyThe Cross Border Road Transport Agency ( C-BRTA) will work together with border and health authorities to ensure screening of truck drivers at all inland borders.
C-BRTA is currently working together with Department of Home Affairs to assist Cross-Border operators (Commercial operators which are freight, buses, tour and taxi operators), with information required and to inform them about measures that are in place at the land border posts regarding their travel. Aviation “Aviation is one of the high-risk sector which enables high levels of mobility and by extension the spread of the coronavirus. As a sector, we are putting in place measures to mitigate the risks.” Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has since procured and distributed masks for all frontline staff at all ACSA airports. The following are mandatory measures for the airlines and all handling agents:- All airline and/or ground handling staff carrying out assisted passenger services are required to use Personal Protective Equipment when facilitating arriving international passengers.
- Passenger-facing personnel, particularly for all international arrivals, transfers terminal and the domestic recheck, are required to use PPE (surgical masks and gloves).
- All handling agent staff that are at a high risk of contact – including, passenger escorting, VIP services facilitation, ticket sales, baggage handling and loading, aircraft grooming, catering services, cargo handling agents, bus drivers and crew transport drivers – are required to wear PPE.
