Dumsile Mbatha

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini -Zuma said that principals and teachers of early childhood development centers must take all reasonable steps to provide cloth masks.

This follows after a grade 7 pupil in Bulwer, KwaZulu Natal was raped on her way back home to fetch a mask. Dlamini attended regulations around protocols for children arriving at school without masks. Schools and parents will have to take extra measures to ensure children who arrive without masks are safe.

“Should a learner arrive at school or early childhood development center without a cloth face mask, homemade item, or another appropriate item that covers the nose and mouth, the learner may be provided with an appropriate item that covers the nose and mouth, if possible,” issued regulation.

Lindiwe Dlamini, who is a mother of a 12-year-old doing grade 7, said that parents and educators should work together in ensuring that children wear their masks all the time.

“We as parents should ensure that the safety of our children comes first, we must make sure that our kids have extra masks on their backpacks,” she added.

Picture: businesslive.co.za