How examinations will be impacted, according the earlier presentation by the director-general of the Department of Basic Education.

Committee members are now given the opportunity to pose their questions and provide their input, and the chairperson reads out the order in which the members should proceed, in an attempt to regain some semblance of order to the meeting.

A question is raised about the logic of drawing comparisons with schools in Sweden, because schools and pupils/teachers in SA face different challenges entirely, with a number of people living with diseases that compromise their immune systems.

The basic education department DG concludes his part of the presentation.

The DG now lists the non-negotiable pre-conditions for the reopening of schools. This includes water and sanitation, Covid-19 essentials, cleaners, screeners, additional teaching posts to avoid overcrowding, the provision of mobile classrooms, and the introduction of "incubation camps" for "progressed and weaker (Grade 12) learners".

A "tentative" date of 6 May is proposed for the reopening of schools - for Grades 7 and 12.

Other grades will follow in phases.

There is also a Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) document that will be providing "clear direction" for what should be happening every step of the way, the DG states.

There will also be orientation and training of all learners, educators and support staff at the start of the re-opening of schools.

The school calendar will be adjusted accordingly to account for all the interruptions, including shortening holidays.

Schools will be expected to follow standard procedures, such as daily screening (temperature checks) of pupils and teachers, done at re-opening of schools starting with Grades 7 and 12. Where pupils/staff present with raised temperatures, they will be considered for isolation and testing.

The basic education department will be working together with the water and sanitation department, as well as the health department. 

Through a number of procurement processes between the departments, pupils will be provided with two cloth face masks, as well as teachers. This is proposed as part of a basic "essential hygiene and sanitation package".

Moving back to SA, the DG runs through the lockdown regulations in SA, guidelines on social distancing (and social distancing implications, transport, etc) and then moves on to existing school infrastructure that would be needed to ensure strict hygiene measures are adhered to, such as the water supply for regular hand washing. 

Taiwan employed measures like strict social distancing, temperature screening in the morning, compulsory face masks and regular hand washing and plastic dividers on desks.

China resumed school in gradual phases for different grades, with measures like compulsory cloth masks and temperature screening, and hand sanitisers.

The DG also briefly mentions processes in Denmark, Sweden and Singapore.

The lockdown is important in reducing the spread of the virus, but as we all know it stops economic activity, so you have a choice of either dying from the virus, or if you continue with the lockdown, because it continues to remain a blunt object, then you might "actually die of poverty and hunger" says the DG, which is why there is talk of a gradual lifting of the lockdown.

The DG now outlines the strategy employed by schools in countries like Taiwan and Denmark. He makes mention of the fact that schools in Taiwan were only closed for two weeks.

PROVINCIAL BREAKDOWN OF CASES:

1 870 - Western Cape - 38 deaths

1 377 - Gauteng - 8 deaths

919 - KwaZulu-Natal - 30 deaths

616 - Eastern Cape - 10 deaths

113 - Free State - 5 deaths

31 - Limpopo - 2 deaths

29 - North West

24 - Mpumalanga

17 - Northern Cape

A large volume of personal protective equipment (PPE) for South Africa's frontline health workers recently entered the country.

The order arrived on Thursday evening and includes two million surgical masks and 216 000 KN95 respirators. On Monday, a further 784 000 KN95 respirators and 550 000 surgical masks arrived.

Press briefing summary:  

Government is working to support small business affected by the coronavirus lockdown through a variety of incentive schemes designed to ease the load.   There are tax relief and financial support schemes for small business and workers.  

So far, R3.3 billion has been paid in UIF, but many employers have not applied for funding to support their workers. In particular, the labour department has found that some employers have to properly registered their workers for UIF.  

There are 140 000 spaza shops on the small business database which will receive support.   In the tourism sector, hotels are not allowed to operate as normal, and may not receive any new guests, unless it is part of the quarantine or essential service programme.  

Some telcos have reduced service and subscription fees, and Minster in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu says that perhaps there should be some kind of subscription holiday during the lockdown.

Small businesses need to make arrangements with UIF. They must acknowledge their debt.  

"We should not punish the workers for irresponsible employers."

Employers must plan for adaptation in terms of risk, says Nxesi.  

Freelance workers fall outside the scope of the regulations