With the infection rate soaring country wide, Mpumalanga has 2 520 cases (according to the latest statistics for 8 July released by the provincial health department).

The Steve Tshwete Municipality has the fourth highest Covid-19 infections in the province with 308 positive cases whilst neighbouring eMalahleni has the highest number of positive cases in Mpumalanga with 772 positive cases recorded on 8 July.

In a post on the official Steve Tshwete Municipal Facebook page, the municipality asked residents to do all necessary shopping before Friday at 20:00 and then voluntarily staying indoors until Monday.

“It is true that not all of us can do this but let us all try,” the message reads.

Municipal spokesperson Prudence Magutle said that the message was originally sent to the mayor from somewhere else and the municipality decided to become part of the initiative where after they shared it on social media platforms.