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President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced new blockade measures at the national and district levels for South Africa.
In a national address on Monday night (December 14), the president said that the country has been hit by a second wave of coronavirus infections with nearly 8,000 new cases reported on Sunday.
There can no longer be any doubt that South Africa has entered a second wave, the president said. “If we don’t act urgently, the second wave will be even more severe than the first.”
The president pointed to four provinces that are leading this second wave, including:
- The western cape
- The eastern cape
- KZN
- Gauteng
There are probably many reasons for this massive increase in infections, but some key contributors are now becoming clearer, the president said.
Ramaphosa said that most cases are reported in young people between the ages of 15 and 19. He said one of the main reasons for the massive increase in infections is social gatherings and parties, particularly the matrix rage event.
“In many of these gatherings, there is no social distancing, the venues are crowded and not adequately ventilated, there is no hand sanitizer available and people do not wear masks,” he said.
Many people consume alcoholic beverages at these ‘super spreader’ events, with the result that people become less careful about taking steps to protect themselves and prevent infection.
“We now know that nearly 1,000 young people from Gauteng who attended the event tested positive for the coronavirus. What we do not yet know is how many more people each of them has infected.
“It is said that up to 300 families could have been infected in turn. The sad truth is that festivals, concerts and parties, which should be occasions of fun and joy, are proving to be sources of infection and disease and can even lead to death. “
Other reasons behind the rise in infections include increased travel between provinces and a relaxed attitude to current lockdown regulations, such as the use of masks.
“The more we travel, the greater the possibility of spreading the virus,” said the president.
He said the relatively low infection rates in recent months have made us more relaxed about wearing a mask over our nose and mouth every time we go out in public.
“Another factor in the increase in infections is the increase in travel, as many people do not observe prevention measures while moving within cities, towns and rural areas, and between different areas.”
“The holiday season now poses the greatest threat,” the president said. “Unless we do things differently, this will be the last Christmas for many South Africans,” he said.
Local restrictions
Ramaphosa said extraordinary measures need to be taken to save lives, while still protecting livelihoods.
These measures include local closure restrictions for the Sarah Baartman district in the Eastern Cape and the Garden Route district in the Western Cape, which have been declared hotspots.
Starting at 12:01 am on Tuesday, until a drop in infections is observed, the following additional restrictions will take effect in these areas:
- The curfew hours will be from 10:00 p.m. to 04:00 a.m. except for essential workers and emergencies;
- The sale of alcohol will only be allowed between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., from Monday to Thursday at the points of sale;
- The consumption of alcohol will be prohibited in public places such as beaches and parks;
- All meetings, including religious gatherings, cannot be attended by more than 100 people for indoor events and 250 people for outdoor events;
- At all times, the total number of people may not exceed 50% of the capacity of the place;
- All post-funeral gatherings are now prohibited.
National blockade
Ramaphosa also announced that more national restrictions will be reintroduced starting at 0001 on Tuesday.
These restrictions will be reviewed in early January based on the status of the country’s coronavirus cases, he said.
The new restrictions include:
- Tighter enforcement of existing level 1 lockdown restrictions – This includes people in public buildings and public transportation wearing masks.
- Meetings – Meetings will be even more restricted to 100 people for indoor events and 250 for outdoor events. The total number of people in a place cannot exceed 50% of the capacity of the place.
- Funeral – All post-funeral gatherings are prohibited across the country.
- Beaches – Ramaphosa said that a differentiated approach will be used for the country’s beaches and public parks. In areas with high coronavirus cases, beaches and parks will be closed from December 16 to January 3; this will apply to the entire Eastern Cape and Garden Route. The beaches will also be closed in KZN on days that are considered particularly busy. These include December 16, December 26, December 31, January 1, January 2, and January 3. The beaches and public parks in the Western Cape and Northern Cape will remain open for now.
- Night – South Africa’s national curfew will be extended: from 23:00 to 04:00. This means that non-essential establishments, such as restaurants, will need to close at 10pm so that staff and customers can go home before curfew. The curfew is in full effect on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve.
- Alcohol – The sale of alcohol will only be allowed from 10:00 to 18:00 from Monday to Thursday at the points of sale. Wine farms may remain open and sell alcohol for off-site consumption based on their license hours.
Read: South Africa receives the first application of the Covid-19 vaccine
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