President Cyril Ramaphosa chaired a virtual meeting of the President’s Coordinating Council today, to discuss the lockdown. The council agreed on the gradual easing of regulations in some sectors. It discussed the need for relief for those suffering a loss of income during this time.
Lockdown: ‘Some regulations will remain in place for a long time. The council consists of ministers, premiers and local government leaders. Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize updated them on health interventions to manage the spread of the coronavirus. Coronavirus Hotline Number: 0800 029 999 from 8 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday
Help protect your loved ones by sharing this official South African government COVID-19 service with your family, friends and community. Send HI to 0600 123 456 on WhatsApp. The NICD has another Clinician Hotline to improve #COVID19 communication and support for healthcare providers. The Clinician Hotline is 0800 11 1131, operating 24 hrs. The Public Hotline is 0800 029 999 also operating 24hrs.
Government must also develop an economic recovery plan for municipalities which are expected to bear the brunt of the economic, political and social fallouts from Covid-19 as engines of our national economy and the coalface of delivery. Cabinet was expected to come up with an economic plan on Wednesday but that was deferred to a meeting on Monday after consensus could not be reached.
“The meeting further made inputs for Cabinet’s consideration when it meets on Monday, 20 April 2020, relating to the need for an economic reconstruction plan which appreciates the huge damage that Covid-19 would have wrought on the SA economy,” Diko said.
“Since the lockdown, over 100,000 households across the country have been provided with food parcels, with further households being targeted through the Solidarity Fund and department of social development’s Disaster Relief Fund. The SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) has also set aside over R400m for social relief of distress through food parcels and vouchers to be rolled out on a larger scale. The PCC agreed that these efforts needed to be significantly expanded as a matter of urgency. PCC further emphasised the need for social distress efforts to be dispensed in a manner that upholds the dignity of all beneficiaries,” Diko said. The top tier of government also agreed to ramp up water provision across the country.
In other news – Pictures – Somizi & Mohale give away R200 000 worth of vouchers to families affected by COVID-19
Somizi and Mohale, like most of us, have seen the effects COVID-19 has had on many people, and the couple has taken to the streets to hand out R200,000 worth of food vouchers to those in need.
Through their Somhale Foundation, they gave vouchers to 400 families in Freedom Park and an informal settlement in Ekurhuleni over the weekend. The vouchers were worth R500 each. Read more
Source: eNCA
