​Cape Town Labour Centre will not be opening its doors tomorrow (Monday, 8 June), as one of the employees of the Department of Employment and Labour has tested positive for COVID-19. 　The closure is to allow for all workers who may have been in contact with the affected employee to be monitored and for the offices to be decontaminated.

Labour centres have been closed to the general public since the implementation of lock-down regulations at the end of March, although officials have continued work in the background, capturing information and thus ensuring that there is no major disruption of services for clients. 　The said employee therefore did not have any interaction with members of the public.

According to the Chief Director: Provincial Operations, Mawele Ntamo, the official has however interacted with other employees who were working at the labour centre and was in contact with 30 other staff members. 　The affected employees will now self-isolate and also be referred for counselling.　 To date, offices have been conducting regular assessments of staff which includes daily health checks and temperature screening, this subsequently led to the identification of a potential case.

Thobile Lamati, Director-General of the Department has previously stated that it is almost inevitable that some staff may be infected and affected. "What is critical is how we respond. With all the given circumstances, the department has responded in the way that is expected which is to follow the laid down protocols", he said.