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Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002)

Notices

Directions regarding the reopening of schools and measures to address, prevent and combat the spread of COVID-19 in the National Department of Basic Education, and Provincial Departments of Education, and all schools in the Republic of South Africa

11. Sport and extracurricular activities

 

(1) Subject to sub-directions (2), (4) and (5), and in compliance with social distancing, hygiene and safety measures on COVID-19, as contemplated in these directions, the DBE Standard Operating Procedures and the Regulations, the following activities may resume with spectators:
(a) Contact sport, non-contact sport, including training, intra-school and inter-school matches, and all arts and culture intra-school and interschool activities;
(b) co-curricular and enrichment programmes, such as oral history, spelling bee, moot court, speech contests, debates and school clubs, may resume activities including competitive inter-school events and engagements; and
(c) choir practice or rehearsals and choir competitions.

 

(2) The following health and safety measures must be adhered to when resuming events or activities contemplated in this direction:
(a) Face masks must be worn by all persons entering the venues where the activities take place, change rooms or training areas, except when participating in training or matches accompanied by vigorous exercise;
(b) there must be sufficient quantities of hand sanitizers, with at least 70% alcohol content, available for use by all officials, coaches, assistants, learners and participants;
(c) there must be facilities for washing of hands with soap and water;
(d) all windows and doors must remain open to ensure adequate ventilation;
(e) subject to the requirements of any contact activity, social distancing must be maintained at all times;
(f) the sharing of drinks and drink containers is not allowed;
(g) a COVID-19 compliance officer must be appointed for each venue;
(h) each of the entry points at the venue must be controlled to ensure that the stipulations with regards to gatherings, as contemplated in subdirection (2)(i) to (n) and (q), are complied with;
(i) all participants must undergo health and temperature screening before warm-up or an event;
(j) any person who enters the venue must undergo health and temperature screening;
(k) hand sanitisers must be available at the entrance gate and every person who enters the venue must sanitise their hands;
(l) participants and officials must sanitise their hands before and after a match or event;
(m) a person who leaves the venue temporarily and returns, must undergo the process of health and temperature screening, and hand sanitising;
(n) for contact tracing purposes only, a register of all officials, learners and spectators from visiting and hosting schools who are attending a school match or event must be kept by the hosting school for at least 21 days and must contain the following information of officials, learners and spectators:
(i) Full name and surname;
(ii) residential address;
(iii) cell phone number, telephone number or email address; and
(iv) contact details of the person or persons living in the same residence as the person attending training or a school match or event;
(o) a digital registration and health screening platform, such as the Teacher Connect Application, may also be used to assist with the administration of the registration process contemplated in paragraph (n);
(p) if a person has COVID-19 symptoms or presents with a temperature above 38 degrees Celsius, that person must be refused access into the venue;
(q) Spectators at the venue of a sport event are permitted and the number of persons permitted at a venue at any one time is limited to the number as prescribed under the Regulations in respect of gatherings for the particular adjusted Alert Level at the time, and if the venue is too small to hold the prescribed number of persons, observing a distance of at least one and a half meters from each other, then not more than 50 percent of the capacity of the venue may be used, subject to strict adherence to all health protocols and social distancing measures;

[Direction 11(2)(q) substituted by section 3 of Notice No. 758, GG45753, dated 14 January 2022]

(r) teams, technical officials, volunteers, relevant stadium staff, medical staff and registered members of the media or broadcaster team must leave the venue as soon as their responsibilities are completed;
(s) social distancing and the wearing of face masks must always be maintained by persons who are not participating in matches or events;
(t) participants must always wear face masks, except when participating in an event that involves vigorous exercise;
(u) technical officials must report before the start of any event or competition for a COVID-19 regulations and protocol briefing session and screening;
(v) all ablution facilities must be sanitised regularly and kept clean as per COVID-19 protocols; and
(w) all sport equipment must be sanitised before and after use.

 

(3) The principal of a school, or an organiser of a venue, hosting an event or activity contemplated in this direction, who fails to comply with sub-direction (2)(q) and the Regulations, commits an offence and is, on conviction, liable to a fine or imprisonment as contemplated in regulation 69(12) of the Regulations.

 

(4) Subject to compliance with the Regulations for Safety Measures in Public Schools, as published under Government Notice No. 1040 in Government Gazette No. 22754 of 12 October 2001, any travelling required for participation in any of the events or activities contemplated in this direction may resume and must comply with prescribed transport regulations and directions.

 

(5) The school or venue hosting the events or activities contemplated in this direction must ensure that venues, tools and equipment are cleaned and sanitized before and after any activities.

 

(6) In order to ensure compliance with sub-direction (2)(q), schools may prioritise parents, caregivers or designated family members of participating learners to attend an event.

 

[Direction 11 substituted by section 4 of Notice No. 633, GG45380 dated 22 October 2021]