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Mthabisi Tshuma, Chronicle Correspondent
THE Minister of Women Affairs, Community and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Sithembiso Nyoni has said SMEs exempted to operate during the lockdown period should operate with skeletal staff until they undergo mandatory Covid-19 testing.

SMEs that have been exempted to report for duty during the extension of the lockdown include those that manufacture Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), soaps and those in the food chain sector.

The Minister said other producers of basic commodities like mealie-meal registered as SMEs should operate during this period to ensure there is food security in the country.

President Mnangagwa during his address last Sunday while extending the lockdown period by two weeks, said SMEs falling under providers of essential services providers should resume operations.

The President also ordered the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Small and Medium Enterprises Development to work closely with health authorities to ensure there is order and safety in that sector In a telephone interview yesterday, the Women Affairs, Community and Small and Medium

Enterprises Development Minister said SMEs that do not produce essential goods during the lockdown should not be operating.

“The included SMEs are those who are involved in the manufacturing of PPEs, detergents, soap, masks, gloves and those in the food chain. There are other SMEs providers that include the producers of cooking oil, these are all included in the initiative,” she said. “In regard to their exemption, the main purpose is to ensure that we do not want to run out of soap and detergents in this pandemic. We also do not want to run out of mealie-meal and thus millers are included in the system.” Minister Nyoni said the decision to include SMEs was due to their contribution to daily essential services in the country. “The President made the decision with the thinking behind that we need to keep supplying necessary goods into the market,” she added.

The Minister urged SMEs to liaise with provincial health officers for employees to undergo the mandatory Covid-19 testing for frontline workers which is currently underway.

She said as a Ministry they are formulating ways to cushion SMEs affected during the lockdown period.

“Each province has a place where the SMEs personnel are supposed to undergo the screening tests. We have also encouraged the SMEs who will be operating during the lockdown to get in touch with the Ministry in terms of cushioning as organisations like Women Bank are available to assist entrepreneurs greatly affected by the pandemic,” said Minister Nyoni. — @mthabisi_mthire.