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As the Western Cape increases its testing and testing for Covid-19 as confirmed cases increase, the ANC in the province is asking to consider returning to the Level 5 blockade.
On Friday, he said the situation in the province was worsening, with hot spots in the area that needed special attention.
“This province faces its greatest health challenge and urgently needs to return to Level 5 quarantine to decrease infections,” MPL Danville Smith said in a statement.
The ANC added that it wanted special closure measures to be implemented to reduce the increase in deaths and cases.
READ | Covid-19: Nurse among new deaths in the Western Cape as cases increase by more than 500
There were 535 more confirmed cases in the province as of Friday, bringing the number to 4,584, Western Cape Prime Minister Alan Winde announced in his daily updates.
Deaths in the province were at 87, an increase from 76 on Thursday, and include a nurse from Tygerberg Hospital.
“The Western Cape government, led by the DA, must face the fact that half of the infected people in South Africa come from this province. The hot spots are also skyrocketing outside the Cape Town subway, as well as in municipal areas of Witzenberg, Winelands and Stellenbosch “.
“Large groups of people are exposed to infections in shopping malls, farms and factories. And the numbers are expected to increase further. The ANC requires a strong presence of national law enforcement officials such as SAPS and SANDF at critical points.”
The party urged Winde to apply for the special status of being sent back to Level 5 through the Minister of Cooperative Government Affairs and Traditional Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
“The ANC says that returning to Level 5 is an urgent matter that needs to be seriously considered. All lives matter.”
Speaking at a meeting to receive a donation of personal protective equipment (PPE) from Ithuba Holdings on Thursday, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said the Western Cape was just below 50% of all confirmed cases in the country.
He added that he was experiencing cluster outbreaks and that he needed mechanisms to deal with the outbreak with greater force to reduce the rate of spread.
Mkhize and President Cyril Ramaphosa would visit the province next week.
The province has previously argued that its rapid and active test approach to putting out “forest fires” had naturally seen more reported cases in it.
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