A nationwide lockdown will be implemented for 21 days as #CoronaVirusSA cases rise
Speaking at the Union Buildings on Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced further measures to stop the spread of Covid-19, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The president said he was encouraged by the reactions of South Africans to the measures government had already introduced last Sunday to limit the spread.
There were, however, concerns that the rapid spread of the disease in both South Africa and the rest of the world required more stringent measures. Over the past week, as we have been implementing measures, the global crisis has deepened. When I addressed the nation last Sunday there were over 160,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases worldwide. Today, there are over 340,000 confirmed cases across the world.
“Our analysis of the progress of the epidemic informs us we need to urgently increase our response.” He said it would just take a few weeks to reach hundreds of thousands of infected people, since South Africa had millions of people with HIV and TB and high levels of poor nutrition.
“Those countries that have acted swiftly have been far more effective. Our fundamental task at this moment is to contain the spread of the disease. I am concerned that a rapid rise in infections will stretch our health services beyond what we can manage and many people will not be able to access the care they need.
He said the nationwide lockdown would be in place for three weeks from Thursday, it was intended to save lives, even though it would come at a heavy cost to the economy. Our fundamental task is to curb the rapid spread of the disease. We must do everything to delay the spread of the infection. From midnight on Thursday until 16 April, all South Africans will have to stay at home.
President #Ramaphosa: Those countries that have acted swiftly and dramatically have been far more effective in controlling the spread of the disease.
#COVID19 #CoronaVirusSA— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) March 23, 2020
Emergency water supplies were being provided to informal settlements and rural areas. He said government and the business sector would announce and implement measures to offset and allay the economic difficulties that the lockdown would cause.
People from high-risk countries would be confined to their hotel until they had completed a 14-day quarantine. Firstly, we are supporting the vulnerable. We have set up a solidarity fund [which people can contribute to.” Gloria Serobe would chair the fund. The fund already had seed capital of R250 million.
The fund will also have a board of “eminent South Africans” and the website for donations can be found here. Ramaphosa applauded the Rupert and Oppenheimer families for pledging R1 billion each to support the country. The president said it was essential that panic buying was still unnecessary and stockpiling was not needed, as there would be a steady supply of goods to stores. He reassured the public that banks and ATMs would remain open.
Businesses would be supported by getting various tax breaks, particularly for Paye as You Earn, over the next six months, while a temporary reduction of payments to the Unemployment Insurance Fund was being looked at. People engaging in profit gouging on prices would face arrest and be prosecuted for corruption.
In other news – Everything you need to know about Lerato Kganyago’s Hubby
Every Tom, Dick and Harry knows by now that Lerato Kganyago recently got hitched. Although she hasn’t personally unveiled the lucky man to the masses, that didn’t stop the social media “detectives” from finding pictures and some info on him.
Lerato Kganyago only posted pictures of her family elders during the wedding on Instagram – her followers were perplexed by this move, hence they eagerly waited for her to officially (and finally) post a picture of her hubby but dololo! Read more
Source: The Citizen
