President Ramaphosa announces SA will remain on Alert Level 1
President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation on the country’s COVID-19 response.
He began his address by explaining the broadcast had been delayed in order to allow for the viewing of, a legend of South African broadcasting, Noxolo Grootboom’s last isiXhosa bulletin.
“I wish to pay tribute to Ms Grootboom as an outstanding journalist who, throughout her distinguished career, brought historic events in our country and across the world into the living rooms of our nation.”
The president related some of the struggles and triumphs experienced in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“What has perhaps been most difficult of all is how the pandemic has affected the social interactions that make us feel part of a community. We miss the many things we once took for granted, like being able to visit our loved ones, go to a party, or attend religious services.”
He said that, for the past two weeks, the number of new cases has remained relatively stable at around 1,200 new cases per day.
“The number of hospitalisations is declining, as is the number of deaths. Our national recovery rate stands at slightly higher than 95 percent.”
Ramaphosa also gave an update on the national vaccination programme, which he said is gaining momentum.
He said the first phase of the vaccination programme, targetting healthcare workers, would be completed within three months.
“We have secured 11 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which we know to be effective against the dominant variants in our country. We have secured a further 20 million doses and are finalising the agreement with Johnson & Johnson.
“We are also finalising an agreement for 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which requires two doses. Together, this supply of vaccines will provide us with enough doses to vaccinate 41 million people,” he said.
Ramaphosa also said government is currently negotiating with manufacturers of other vaccines, including the Sinovac, Sinopharm and Sputnik V.
“In addition to the vaccine doses we will receive directly through our agreements with manufacturers, we will also receive an allocation of vaccine doses through the African Union initiative that we established when we held the Chairship of the AU.”
The president said Phase 2 of the vaccination drive is scheduled to begin in mid-May.
The demand for vaccines around the world has become extremely competitive but we are doing our best to secure enough supply the people of South Africa and the African continent.https://t.co/BxlN1OLuzp
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) March 30, 2021
In line with international best practice, we will be prioritising those at the highest risk of hospitalisation and death, such as people over 60 and people living with co-morbidities.https://t.co/2PB2NkaFRL
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) March 30, 2021
Registration to be vaccinated is scheduled to start in April with facilities for online and in-person registration.
Ramaphosa also said mechanisms to vaccinate undocumented people are being developed.
The president gave news from his visit to the Aspen Pharmacare manufacturing facility in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.
In November, Aspen Pharmacare collaborated with Johnson & Johnson to establish the capacity required for the manufacturing of the vaccines.
The African Vaccine Acquisition Trust has signed a procurement agreement on behalf of African Union member states for 220-million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine with an option for an additional 180-million doses.
The president thanked the private healthcare sector, private enterprise working through the Solidarity Fund and the Vodacom Group for support with the vaccine drive.
“We commend the Vodacom Group and Vodafone Foundation, which have pledged R87 million in the African countries in which they operate for cold chain storage and logistics so that COVID-19 vaccines are delivered securely.
“In addition, Vodacom will be deploying a state-of-the-art vaccine management platform across the AU member states, following a successful roll-out of the same platform in South Africa,” he said.
Fellow South Africans,
In just a few days, the country will begin the annual Easter break.
For many, this will be a welcome moment to pause and rest, whether from work or from our studies, and from the pressures of the last months.https://t.co/BxlN1OLuzp
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) March 30, 2021
Many of us have made plans for the upcoming long weekend.
Some of us will be heading out of town; others will be visiting friends and family.
Many of us will be attending gatherings and celebrations.https://t.co/BxlN1OLuzp
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) March 30, 2021
The president gave an update on the regulations instituted to prevent the spread of COVID-19 ahead of the Easter weekend.
Given relatively low transmission levels, the country will remain on Alert Level 1.
Adjustments to the restrictions are as follows:
- The national curfew remains from midnight to 4am.
- Public recreational spaces such as beaches, parks and dams will remain open, subject to strict health protocols, such as social distancing, mask-wearing.
- Funerals remain restricted to a maximum of 100 people and with a two-hour limit on services.
- Interprovincial travel will still be permitted.
“However, I urge all South Africans to limit their travel as much as possible and to observe all the necessary health protocols if they cannot avoid travelling,” Ramaphosa said.
The sale of alcohol for off-site consumption will be prohibited on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 2 to 5 April.
On-site sales at restaurants, shebeens and bars will be allowed, according to licensing conditions, up until 11pm.
Religious gatherings over the Easter period will be restricted to a total number of 250 people indoors and 500 outdoors.
Where the venue is too small to accommodate these numbers with appropriate social distancing, then no more than 50 percent of the capacity of the venue may be used.
Congregants should not gather outside their usual places of worship, and people must go home and not sleep over after services.
“We will review these measures on the size of gatherings within the next 15 days based on an assessment on the state of the pandemic and the extent of compliance with health protocols,” he said.
We continue to urge all South Africans to avoid gatherings if they are in a vulnerable group, such as the elderly and those with co-morbidities.
We also urge that gatherings should take place in outdoor venues, which are significantly safer than gathering indoors.
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 #StaySafe (@CyrilRamaphosa) March 30, 2021
Source: eNCA
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