The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, in partnership with GIZ’s Natural Resources Stewardship Programme (NatuReS), and supported by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, has rolled out a Community Awareness and Education Campaign to reduce the spread of Covid-19 in the City. During the week-long programme, workshops will be conducted across the City including in KwaNobuhle, Zwide and KwaZakhele. On Tuesday the first workshop was held in Motherwell where delegates from surrounding areas were trained to educate and encourage fellow residents to adhere to Covid-19 regulations during the festive season and beyond.
Background
As at 17 December 2020, Nelson Mandela Bay Metro had more than 49 855 active Covid-19 cases. The recent spike in active cases is severely impacting business operations in the Metro as people who have tested positive, exposed to positive people or showing symptoms of Covid-19 are required to stay away from work during their mandatory self-quarantine or self-isolation periods. According to media reports, surveys show that people are suffering from Covid-19 lockdown fatigue which has made them drop their guard or disobey observing the stipulated Covid-19 precautionary measures of wearing masks in public, practicing social distancing and sanitization or washing of hands.
Businesses in the NMB Metro and countrywide cannot afford another hard lockdown experienced at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The economy needs businesses to continue operating albeit under an abnormal environment to support the government’s economic recovery plan. The change that is mostly needed at this moment to halt the rising infection rate, is a change in people’s behaviour. It is therefore important that private and public sector join hands in creating public awareness about the impact of the recent spike in Covid-19 cases on businesses, jobs and the economy of the NMB Metro.
The target audience is identified as:
- The community in general
- Internal municipal departments
- Schools
- Higher learning institutions
- Ward Committees
- Public transport organizations
- Community Based Organizations (CBO’s)
- Businesses
- Shopping Malls
- Organized business Structures
- Religious organizations
- Homes (children; elderly)
- Workers and workers’ unions
The Communication Objectives are:
- To create awareness about the dangers of the second wave of infections.
- Communicate messages that will influence behavioural change.
- Build relations with relevant structures in order to further communicate urgentbmessages to the relevant target audience.
- To educate employees and residents about remaining safe during the Covid-19 outbreak.
- To ensure holistic buy-in of all staff, leadership, community members, business sector, religious sector and all educational institutions, thereby ensuring that all stakeholders in Nelson Mandela Bay are the ambassadors of the Covid-19 campaign.
- Increase awareness by educating all role players of everything they need to know and the roles they need to play.
The core principles are:
- Wear your mark in public places
- Wash your hands regularly with soap/sanitizer
- Keep your distance from others (2,5 metres)
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
STOP THE SPREAD OF COVID-19! PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AND NELSON MANDELA BAY.
This message is proudly brought to you by the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, NatuReS (Natural Resources Stewardship Programme), German Co-Operation (GIZ) and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
Alan Straton
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