Chronicle Editor
GOVERNMENT’S decision to extend business operating hours by one-and-a-half hours has been welcomed by both commerce and industry. The businesses which were operating from 8AM to 3PM are now operating from 8AM to 4.30PM.
The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) said the extended operating hours will boost production while the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers Association (CZRA) said the extension of operating hours will reduce congestion in shops as well as increase sales. The congestion at most retail outlets especially towards closing hours was really a cause for concern. Government has said people’s health comes first but it is also sensitive to the people’s welfare hence the periodic reviews of the lockdown regulations to minimise economic disruptions.
The CZRA president Mr Denford Mutashu urged retailers to ensure workers undergo regular Covid-19 tests as well as enforce social distancing as part of measures to protect their customers. He said shops should be disinfected at least once a month to reduce the spread of the virus.
We want to commend retail outlets for checking customers’ temperatures and sanitising them on entering the shops. They are also enforcing the wearing of face masks and ensuring the customers maintain social distancing as they await their turn to be served.
We also urge industries to take similar measures to minimise the spread of Covid-19 as they work towards boosting production following the extended operating hours.
What however, remains a major concern is that there seems to be no effort by companies to ensure safe travel of workers to work and back. Many companies including those in the retail business are not providing transport to their workers who are relying on Zupco which is failing to cope with demand.
There is serious congestion at termini during morning and evening peak hours thereby exposing workers to contracting Covid-19. Workers are disregarding social distancing as they jostle to get onto the few buses available and the transport crisis is affecting all cities and towns.
There is therefore, urgent need for companies to seriously consider providing transport to their workers. We have in the past appealed to Zupco to increase buses but it seems its capacity is limited hence the need for companies to complement it by providing own transport.
Most commuters using Zupco buses should be workers in the informal sector. The country has been witnessing an upsurge in local transmissions of Covid-19 and the overcrowding at bus termini could be one of the sources.
We want to urge citizens to continue taking measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 as economic sectors are being opened up so that Government is not forced to tighten the regulations in response to increased Covid-19 cases. It is important to appreciate that the country is still on lockdown because we are not yet Covid-19 free.
Online Reporter