The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
THE Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) has commended businesses for their compliance with the enhanced Level Four lockdown announced by President Mnangagwa on Tuesday.
In an interview, CZI Matabeleland Chamber president, Mr Shepherd Chawira said police have to be deployed to ensure that minimum lives are lost.
“Our position as CZI Matabeleland Chamber is that we need a good balance between livelihoods and lives. Policy needs to be deployed to ensure that minimum lives are lost and at the same time people can still work and earn a living,” said Mr Chawira.
He said the current approach by Government of declaring different lockdown levels depending on the levels of risk in each area was the best approach.
“We are seeing tremendous numbers of people getting vaccinated and some areas like Victoria Falls are way ahead of others, our view is that lockdown levels should consider such factors as well.”
He urged business owners to extend high levels of compliance with mitigating factors like social distancing, sanitizing, temperature checks and testing, contact tracing and isolating.
Mr Chawira said that as CZI they urge strict compliance with measures as prescribed by authorities and that there be reduction of numbers to 40 percent of people physically at work, which will aid social distancing and minimize spread of the virus at the work place.
“We need to encourage our workers to go for vaccination. Also, we urge our local enforcement authorities to engage all stakeholders when there is a change in lockdown levels and regulations, to explain and clarify the new positions and clear any grey areas,” he said.
Under the level four lockdown announced on Tuesday, commerce and industry are to open from 8am-3.30pm in compliance with the 6.30pm-6am general curfew hours.
Government also introduced custodial sentences for fake Covid-19 certificate holders, ban on intercity travel and mandatory quarantine for deportees and those from countries with Alpha and Delta Covid-19.
