In an address broadcast on Eswatini Television on Thursday, King Mswati III urged the eSwatini nation to abide by the government's coronavirus restrictions and observe physical distancing and hygiene protocols as the country prepares to ease out of a partial lockdown from Friday.
The tiny landlocked kingdom has recorded two deaths from Covid-19 and has been on lockdown for six weeks. The announcement of the easing of restrictions was made by Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini on Thursday.
According to Dlamini, the following businesses will be allowed to operate:
- Manufacturing and Production companies that have international orders to fulfil - under strict WHO and Ministry of Health Guidelines.
- Agents and Consultants to operate three times a week
- Furniture Shops shall open three times a week; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 9am and 3pm.
- Dry Cleaners shall also operate under similar conditions as furniture shops.
- Retail Clothing Shops, tailors and dressmakers (that produce face masks and PPE) to operate three times a week – Monday, Wednesday and Saturday between 9am and 3pm.
- Vehicle testing stations shall operate three times a week.
- Deco Shops to operate three times a week.
Here is the full text of King Mswati's address to the nation:
As you are aware that the entire world is engulfed by this pandemic, our Kingdom, the African continent as well other continents are affected directly by the coronavirus.
This pandemic calls for our citizens to abide by the coronavirus restrictions because if we fail to do so the situation can spiral out of control.
I have been recieving updates from the Prime Minister and the Covid-19 task team on the measures we have taken as a country to fight this pandemic. I would also like to thank the entire nation for the cooperation they have displayed during the course of our partial lockdown.
The W.H.O is always encouraging us to practice safe healthy measures a country and they have also advised us that for the pandemic to be defeated we need to ensure that we always cover our faces with masks.
It is imperative for each and every citizen to wear a mask at all times. We also need to wash our hands with soap and running water which can be alternated with alcohol based hand sanitizers.
The washing of hands and social distancing should be observed in the workplace. Some people have a tendency to give room for complacency, that should not be the case in this battle against coronavirus.
I have seen others coming up with new ways of greeting each other instead of the traditional handshake. I want us to understand that shaking hands can no longer be used but that does not mean relationships should cease instead we need to appreciate that everything is being done in the spirit of bringing an end to the spread of this virus.
I encourage employers to keep up with the highest safety standards of constantly sanitizing work areas as a precautionary measure.
We should be careful of door handles because they can also be home to the virus, sanitisers should be available at every entry point in the workplace in order to ensure that we are all safe from the coronavirus.
I thank you.