CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – JULY 20: Daniel Hayes of Wynberg during the WP Schools U19A match between Rondebosch and Wynberg at Tienkie Heyns Field on July 20, 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Peter Heeger/Gallo Images)
School Sports Just In: Contact sports at schools now banned, again
School contact sport has been banned with immediate effect due to the rise in Covid-19 infections following play.
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – JULY 20: Daniel Hayes of Wynberg during the WP Schools U19A match between Rondebosch and Wynberg at Tienkie Heyns Field on July 20, 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Peter Heeger/Gallo Images)
The Council of Education Ministers has taken a decision to suspend all contact sports in schools with immediate effect.
“The decision was taken in a virtual meeting held this morning,” the Department of Basic Education said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Non-contact sport training in schools can continue provided that all social distancing, hygiene and safety measures are observed and that there is no physical contact between participants during training,” the department said.
In 2021, after the reopening of schools and consultations with education stakeholders, the DBE gazetted directions allowing non-contact sport, sports related activities and school-based art and cultural activities to resume without spectators, subject to adherence to safety measure.
Minister of Basic Education Mrs Angie Motshekga on 12 February, then gazetted directions on how school sports and extra mural activities, non-contact sport, sports related activities and school-based art and cultural activities could resume subject to health and safety protocols.
“During the last week of Term 1, school sports activity related COVID-19 outbreaks in Gauteng Province were reported and have been gradually increasing in Term 2,” the department said on Wednesday.
“It is evident that despite following the protocols as guided by the directions on extramural activities and standard operating procedure on the prevention, containment and management of COVID-19 in schools, contact sports events still contribute to the spread of COVID-19,” the department said.
The department said that following the school sports activities related COVID-19 outbreaks in Gauteng and the general rise in the number of cases reported in communities across the country, the Outbreak Response Team (ORT) had indicated that there was a high risk of infection when learners are engaged in close-contact sports.
“In this regard, all close-contact sporting activities have been suspended with immediate effect until the clusters outbreak is subsequently over with no further cases reported including the preparatory school sport. The Department will continue to monitor the situation. A government gazette will be issued with the notice in the coming days,” the department said.
