South Africa: Maintenance and Construction Work for Energy Projects  to Resume

• South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Mr Gwede Mantashe last gazetted new regulations in order provide guidance on the implementation of provisions of the Regulations relating to permitted goods and services, with specific reference to the country’s energy sector.

The purpose of these directions is to provide  for the continuous supply of energy and petroleum products to society as provided for in regulation 29 of the regulations; and to allow maintenance and construction work for energy projects  to resume under strict safety, hygiene, sanitisation and social distancing protocols.

The directions will apply to:

1. Civil engineering for public works projects referred to in Table 1, Part D of the regulations in so far as it relates to energy;
2. Professional entities that provide licences, approvals and authorisations for them maintenance and construction of energy projects;
3. All professional planning, costing and design work that supports construction work on sites, in anticipation of incremental work on construction sites;
4. Contracted suppliers, contractors and consultants who need to travel across borders to attend to projects; and
5. Energy construction work already priced and awarded government tenders.

The Minister urges all permitted functionaries under these directions are urged to prioritise health and safety requirements, and ensure that the necessary workplace measures to combat the spread of Covid-19 are in place to safeguard the lives of employees.

Author: Bryan Groenendaal