Guideline Summary:
- All companies are required to schedule outstanding audits by 31 March 2021.
- All SQAS-AFRICA certificates that expire between 20 March 2020 and 31 March 2021 shall remain valid until 31 March 2021.
- Companies have the option to be audited against either the old or the new questionnaires until 31 March 2021.
- As from 1 April 2021, all SQAS-AFRICA audits will be carried out using the new SQAS-AFRICA questionnaires.
- Remote auditing is permitted on the following parts of the audit process:
- planning.
- documentation.
- interviews.
- closing meetings.
- In-person visits to locations for site reconnaissance (fieldwork), are a requirement.
- Auditors should use their discretion on the extent of audit work carried out remotely through the information provided by the auditee.
- Post audit activities will remain the same as those for a full in-person audit.
- Auditors who are 60 years old and above are expected to disclose their age to the organisations they will be auditing.
- Auditees shall comply to the Department of Employment and Labour’s employer obligations in respect of employees over the age of 60 years when they engage an auditor who is 60 or more years old. More guidance can be found in the Department of Health guideline - Guidance on vulnerable employees and workplace accommodation in relation to COVID-19 (V4: 25 May 2020).
