The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) says the decision by the cabinet and President Cyril Ramaphosa to implement a travel ban on high-risk countries from this week is shocking and reckless.
The Union was reacting to a list of measures announced by the President on Sunday night in an effort to contain the pandemic in South Africa.
President Ramaphosa says that 45 of the country’s 72 ports of entries will also be shut down.
Cabinet has also decided to revoke visas of foreign nationals from high-risk countries and that South Africa will not be issuing visas to foreigners from those countries.
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Foreign nationals who have visited high-risk countries in the last 20 days will also be denied visas.
South Africa has 61 people who are now confirmed to be infected.
President Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster as government implements tough measures to try and slow the spread of the coronavirus.
On this video , President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the nation about decisions taken to tackle coronavirus:
These include travel restrictions, the closure of schools from Wednesday and the banning of public gatherings of more than 100 people.
Numsa General Secretary Irvin Jim says:”The reaction, one finds it shocking. South Africa has not industrialised or created jobs. As a result, we have an army of the population in the country which has got nothing.”
“For this decisions to be taken hastily for basically cut the country out of the world. One finds it reckless.”
President Ramaphosa also announced that South African citizens that have visited high-risk countries in the last 20 days will undergo heavy testing and will be required to self-isolate for 20 days.
He further urged South Africans to limit contact with high-risk countries.
