Coronavirus in SA: Sandton offices evacuated after staff member's partner comes into contact with person who tested positive
14 March 2020
The Estate Agency Affairs Board's (EAAB) CEO Mamodupi Mohlala instructed all employees to vacate the company's premises on Friday after receiving information that an employee’s partner had been in contact with a person who tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
The move came after the employee presented information to the human resources department that their partner’s boss had tested positive for virus after going on an international trip.
As a precautionary measure, the staff members at the Sandton offices in Johannesburg were immediately evacuated from the building.
"We would like to emphasise that the measures taken are purely precautionary to protect the health and wellbeing of our colleagues, their families and all EAAB stakeholders," Mohlala said in a statement.
Practical measures to prevent the virus were currently underway at the EAAB offices, which included procuring specialised cleaning services and installation of hand sanitisers in key areas, she said
Cleaning services brought in
EAAB’s communications and stakeholder engagement specialist Chandré Prince said: "Staff members left the premises on Friday at midday and cleaning services were hired to deep clean the offices over the weekend after the evacuation."
Mohlala thanked the employee for proactively notifying the company and encouraged others who might have had similar experiences to do the same.
"The EAAB has notified its mother body, the Department of Human Settlements, who in turn will communicate all the details of the matter with the health ministry. The regulator’s board has also instructed the executives to draw up a coronavirus policy," Mohlala added.
Prince added that employees would be told on Sunday when they could return to work.
"We are currently waiting for the board to inform the company’s CEO on when staff members can return to work after Friday’s evacuation," she said.
