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Gauteng Prime Minister David Makhura says the province’s Covid-19 numbers do not indicate the need for another total lockdown just yet.
On Wednesday, Makhura briefed the media on measures to strengthen the province’s health department and announced a new health MEC.
“At the moment in Gauteng, there is no case to have measures like the confinement. We all know that the running of the bulls can have a huge impact and they really need to weigh things very well. We are not there, the numbers do not indicate that it is necessary, “he said.
On Wednesday, it was reported that the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) agreed that there should be a curfew at 10 p.m. on Covid-19 hot spots across the country, alcohol sales should be restricted from Monday to Monday. Thursdays and pubs and taverns should close at 9pm.
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Makhura said he did not attend the NCCC meeting and was not in a position to comment on what was discussed.
“I am sure that the NCCC will consider the interest of the people of our country, but will also observe the trend in each area. If we have a big increase in January or February, I can’t tell you what we’re going to do then, ”he added.
Last week, during a briefing, Makhura warned of a possible increase in January when people return from vacation. To avoid this, he said, the health department would be implementing medical controls.
He said: “Let me tell you that when you return in January, we will do what we normally do when people return to the province. We will carry out health-related operations, along with law enforcement operations, to ensure that we carry out checks and tests on the main roads. ”
He also expressed confidence in his newly appointed MEC of Health, Nomathemba Mokgethi, and in a newly appointed intervention to help prevent another surge.
“The new MEC for health together with the intervention team and the department under the leadership of the acting HOD [head of department] “We have to make sure that Gauteng province has learned from the June / July surge, has better capacity and is better prepared for January, especially as a lot of people are moving out of the province and will return in January.”
On the subject of discrepancies in the provincial Covid-19 statistics, Makhura said: “Those of you who have always checked our reports will know that there was always a variation between the district numbers and the numbers for the whole province.
“There was always a variation and we were very transparent about it. When we have the new infections, the source of the numbers is from both the public and private sectors. [so] it takes us time to reconcile [those numbers]. “
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