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President Cyril Ramaphosa will brief the nation next week on South Africa’s lockdown strategy around the coronavirus pandemic.
Presidential Minister Jackson Mthembu said on Thursday (Nov 5) that the briefing will be based on a cabinet meeting and suggestions provided by the National Coronavirus Command Council to be held later this week.
Mthembu added that the cabinet was concerned that South Africans have become increasingly indifferent in their response to the pandemic and are no longer following lockdown regulations.
“Cabinet is concerned that some people are behaving recklessly and irresponsibly as if Covid-19 no longer exists,” he said.
“The cabinet calls on all people in South Africa to continue to adhere to the health protocols of practicing social distancing, wearing masks in public and washing hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based disinfectant, and avoiding large meetings “.
Mthembu said responsible behavior will ensure the country minimizes infection rates while continuing to rebuild the economy.
Senior government officials have warned of an increase in coronavirus infections in parts of South Africa, and health systems are facing increased pressure.
South Africa reported 1,712 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday (Nov 4), bringing the total reported cases to 730,548.
Deaths have reached 19,585 (a daily increase of 46), while recoveries have risen to 660,185, leaving the country with a balance of 50,778 active cases.
Warnings
This week Thsonono Buyeye, Nelson Mandela Bay’s acting executive mayor, said that the reintroduction of a strict lockdown on the subway, while not ideal, may need to be considered to help save lives.
“A tougher lock is not ideal, but to save lives the option may need to be re-explored as the numbers are increasing rapidly. In just one day this week, we had close to 400 new infections. Unfortunately, infections go with deaths and we have seen deaths in the country have surpassed the 19,000 mark, ”Buyeye said.
The acting mayor added that the only reason the city was experiencing a second wave of coronavirus cases is due to non-compliance with current health and safety regulations.
NMB rem’s comments follow similar sentiments from KwaZulu-Natal Prime Minister Sihle Zikalala, who also warned that a return to a strict lockdown is in the cards, unless the country sees a decline in the number of daily coronavirus cases.
“Looking at the statistics, we can now safely say that we will definitely return to a hard lockdown if there is not an urgent and drastic change in behavior,” the prime minister said.
However, President Ramaphosa dismissed the ‘rumors’ that South Africa is returning to a hard lockdown, however, he said there are worrying trends related to Covid-19 infections, such as super spreader events.
The president said that while No decision in a tighter lockdown, the problem was not completely off the table. He said he received a report on Covid-19 infections and was still studying it, after which he will address the nation.
“As South Africans, we must adhere to the measures that the medical advisory committee has proposed to us,” he said. “In the next few days… I will be able to speak to the people of South Africa about what we have to do now in light of what we are going through,” he said in late October.
Read: The government extends support for the R350 coronavirus until January 2021
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