Six schools in the Namakwa District are also currently closed due to a spike in Covid-19 cases
THE NORTHERN Cape Department of Education said on Thursday that it had erroneously stated that its provincial office would be closed until May 16 after 10 Covid-19 cases were reported at IK Nkoane Education House in Kimberley.
Department spokesperson Geoffrey van der Merwe said that the offices would only be closed on Thursday and Friday this week for deep-cleaning and would reopen on Monday, April 26.
“The Northern Cape Department of Education, after careful consideration, decided to close the provincial office on Thursday and Friday for deep-cleaning of all office space. This follows after 10 positive Covid-19 cases were reported and all direct contact traces were immediately isolated,” said Van der Merwe.
“The provincial office will reopen on Monday, April 26 and will operate on a 50% capacity of staff for at least one month.”
Van der Merwe added that staff will work from home on a rotational basis until further notice.
“The Department of Education regards the health and safety of all our employees as a high priority and this is the reason why we have decided to close the office for two days.”
Van der Merwe went on to say that six schools in the Namakwa District were currently closed due to an increase in Covid-19 infections.
“At the same time we are very concerned about the number of Covid-19 infections at our schools. The district office has developed a recovery plan to ensure that the lost school days are recovered. We are working with the Department of Health to deal with these matters as soon as they arise in the best possible manner,” he said.
As of Tuesday, April 20, there were 38,183 positive Covid-19 cases in the Northern Cape, where 128 new cases had been reported.
The Frances Baard District recorded the highest number of cases (44), followed by Namakwa (41) and ZF Mgcawu (27), while the John Taolo Gaetsewe (JTG) and Pixley ka Seme districts recorded eight new cases each.
A total of 13 Covid-19 deaths were reported, with 12 being from the ZF Mgcawu District and one in the JTG District.
The total cumulative number of deaths in the Province has risen to 871.
The Province’s average recovery rate currently stands at 89 percent.
