{"id":32726,"date":"2022-06-23T17:42:05","date_gmt":"2022-06-23T17:42:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/our-lives-will-be-put-at-risk-joburg-taxi-drivers-not-celebrating-life-without-masks"},"modified":"2022-06-23T17:56:42","modified_gmt":"2022-06-23T17:56:42","slug":"our-lives-will-be-put-at-risk-joburg-taxi-drivers-not-celebrating-life-without-masks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/our-lives-will-be-put-at-risk-joburg-taxi-drivers-not-celebrating-life-without-masks","title":{"rendered":"‘Our lives will be put at risk’: Joburg taxi drivers not celebrating life without masks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – South-Africa. <\/strong><\/span>There have been mixed reactions to the government’s repeal of Covid-19 measures that regulated South Africans’ day-to-day activities for at least two years, including those that made mask-wearing compulsory.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday night, Health Minister Joe Phaahla gazetted the repeal.<\/p>\n

Baragwanath Taxi Rank operators in Johannesburg are sceptical about the move, but say they will not force passengers to wear masks.<\/p>\n

Driver Mondi Sithole said: “The wearing of masks is no longer compulsory. No passenger will be forced to wear one. We were forced to wear masks and we complied with the law. Masks are problematic. We were battling to breathe in the fresh air.”<\/p>\n

No more masks in classrooms? Unions express relief, but also fear amid overcrowding and flu season<\/p>\n

However, he said he would advise passengers to wear masks if they feel unsafe.<\/p>\n

Another driver, Phindile Nkabinde, is concerned about the spread of Covid-19.<\/p>\n

He said:<\/p>\n

Nkabinde has a box of masks in his taxi that he shares with passengers.<\/p>\n

“The wearing of masks is one’s personal choice. I will plead with passengers to wear masks. For safety’s sake let’s keep on wearing masks inside a taxi,” he added.<\/p>\n

Queue marshal Thulani Mbhele said it would be difficult to stop wearing masks because they deal with different people, including those who are sick.<\/p>\n

“When Covid-19 arrived, we were told it was deadly in winter. We are in the winter season now and the government wants us to stop wearing masks, which is difficult to accept.<\/p>\n

“Imagine [you are] seated next to a person who is coughing and not wearing a mask. This is problematic for us. We must protect each other.<\/p>\n

“We are not above the government and we will not distract it. We will continue calling for people to wear masks. I will even go [on] my knees to beg passengers to wear masks.<\/p>\n

“Imagine ferrying someone carrying a newly born baby and someone seated next to the mother is coughing, Mbhele added.<\/p>\n

One passenger, Gift Manana, said he would still wear a mask inside a taxi.<\/p>\n

Later, he changed tune and said he would only wear one if he was compelled to do so.<\/p>\n

Another passenger, Constance Khuzwayo, welcomed the announcement.<\/p>\n

Khuzwayo said the impact of Covid-19 was reduced.<\/p>\n

“These masks came with Covid-19. We were not wearing them during the past winter season.<\/p>\n

“As an elder, I am wearing mine wherever I go. I will only wear it when asked to do so. For now, I won’t wear one. I was waiting for the government to end the wearing of masks,” Khuzwayo added.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About South-Africa<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – South-Africa. There have been mixed reactions to the government’s repeal of Covid-19 measures that regulated South Africans’ day-to-day activities for at least two years, including those that made mask-wearing compulsory. On Wednesday night, Health Minister Joe Phaahla gazetted the repeal. Baragwanath Taxi Rank operators in Johannesburg are sceptical about the move, but say […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":32725,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,8,12],"tags":[274,315,243,309,227,310,275],"class_list":["post-32726","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-homepage-english","category-policy","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-south-africa","tag-coronavirus","tag-gauteng","tag-health","tag-johannesburg","tag-south-africa-2"],"yoast_head":"\n'Our lives will be put at risk': Joburg taxi drivers not celebrating life without masks - South Africa<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There have been mixed reactions to the government's repeal of Covid-19 measures that regulated South Africans' day-to-da ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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