responds to lockdown

LISTED as an Enabling Service under the Covid-19 exemptions, the Zululand Observer, along with other media, will remain in operation during the lockdown period, playing an important role in keeping the public informed. ‘Both our editorial and advertising departments will function as usual, but we are making a number of adaptations to limit staff movements and people-to-people contact as much as possible,’ said ZO Business Manager, Lee Anthony.

‘We will, for the duration of the lockdown, sacrifice our Monday editions so as to limit travel and work time; our Weekender and Eyethu Bay Watch papers will be printed as normal. ‘We will halt the use of street sellers and have obtained special permission to deliver Eyethu Bay Watch editions door-to-door in Richards Bay and Empangeni.

‘Since a large number of businesses and distributing agencies will be closed, we will also only deliver newspapers for sale at large supermarkets and we will increase the number of papers available at these outlets,’ said Anthony. Online In an effort to adhere to government’s call for social distancing and minimising contact, online communication will be increasingly important as a means of social contact and we will post relevant, accurate and verified information as soon as it becomes available.

We will endeavour to promptly answer reader queries on coronavirus-related matters by referring these to the relevant authorities.

During the lockdown, we have also diversified our news offerings where readers can download the ZO mobile app and receive the complete version of the printed ZO edition right to their mobile phones.

We fully support President Cyril Ramaphosa and government in their decision to lockdown and will continue to be a trusted source of information for our communities.