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President Cyril Ramaphosa will chair a meeting with the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC) on Wednesday (December 2), and officials are expected to discuss the possible re-introduction of lockdown restrictions in parts of South Africa.
This follows a meeting of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) on Tuesday to discuss the resurgence of cases seen in hotspot areas in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape.
Some of the restrictions that have been proposed include the limited sale of alcohol, a stricter curfew and a restriction on the maximum number of people allowed in meetings.
A spokesman for the presidency confirmed News 24 that the PCC will meet on Wednesday, but said the agenda will only be adopted at the meeting.
The PCC meeting comes after the acting mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Thsonono Buyeye, said that the city welcome stricter restrictions, while continuing to fight the spread of Covid-19 amid the resurgence of the virus in the province.
As a result of the increase, the president of Metro Disaster Management, Shane Brown, said that stricter regulations cannot be avoided as people move during the holiday season.
“The more cases we see in other areas, the more stringent regulations are needed. Private hospitals have reached the maximum capacity for the treatment of Covid-19 and although the public hospitals and the field hospital have capacity, there are not enough staff to treat patients due to the same virus and other challenges related to work ”, said.
“Residents should avoid these big gatherings all together in all their different ways. Currently, regulations allow 200 people to gather in a church if the building has a capacity of 400. But with the reality we face, we urge residents not to be part of such large gatherings as this increases their chances of contracting the virus and spread it to those who did not even attend such meetings. “
Encan reported that the Western Cape government is also seeking legal advice on localized restrictions, as the province records a resurgence of Covid-19 cases. The stricter regulations are expected to ease pressure on the overburdened public health system.
On Monday, Western Cape Prime Minister Alan Winde said his government is considering the “blunt instrument” of a mini shutdown, indicating it was a last resort option.
He called on people to continue social distancing and practice health and safety precautions while wearing a mask, and encouraged residents to reduce planned events as the country approaches the holiday season.
“What is happening in other parts of the world, like Australia and Singapore, is what they call circuit breaker. The easiest way to explain it would be a mini block, ”he said.
This involves putting certain regulations in a municipality or district for six days: no weddings, no funerals, no super broadcast events, no issued permits.
Read: Tighter Covid-19 restrictions in South Africa are unavoidable – Metro official
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