Business Unity South Africa (BUSA), South Africa’s apex business organisation, has welcomed the Government’s decision to relax some crucial conditions around the COVID-19 national lockdown.

“We deeply appreciate the time President Cyril Ramaphosa has spent in consultation with business and other stakeholders and fully support the move to Level 3,” says BUSA President Sipho Pityana.

“As he says, it is time for many of us to return to work – but to do so in a safe way as possible, and in a way that continues the struggle against this deadly virus.

“There were many different issues to consider in making the decision to move from level four to level three, and the outcomes are the result of a fine balancing act under extremely difficult conditions. We believe that the decision announced by the President is best for the country given where we find ourselves now.”

Pityana added: “We call on our members to ensure their workplaces are Corona-ready when employees return to work under Level 3. The same applies to the many role players in the transport sector, who play a part in ensuring workers are able to go to work.

It is critical that businesses – big and small – play their part by screening and testing employees, monitoring, and tracking them and ensuring the tracing of workers who are tested positive.

As the President says, the onus is on all of us to show responsibility, to uphold the sanctity of life, and to protect the most vulnerable among us – and, ultimately, to demonstrate the kind of solidarity that has taken us so far already.

We are all in this together, and we all have to do whatever we can to kill the Coronavirus before it kills us. It is now in our hands.

BUSA President Sipho Pityana