PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has extended the nationwide lockdown by a further two weeks beyond the initial 21 days. This means that most existing measures will remain in force until the end of April.

The President’s address follows a meeting of the #COVID19 National Command Council held yesterday, 8 April and consultations that the President held with various social partners during the course of the day.

“Our immediate priority must remain to slow down the spread of the virus and to prevent a massive loss of life. We must do this while preventing our economy from collapse and saving our people from hunger. The measures we have taken – such as closing our borders and prohibiting gatherings – and the changes that we have each had to make in our own behaviour, have definitely slowed the spread. But the struggle against the coronavirus is far from over,” he said.

“Over the next two weeks, we will roll out the community screening and testing programme across all provinces, focusing in particular on highly vulnerable communities,” he said.

He added that those who test positive and cannot self-isolate at home will be isolated at special facilities that have been identified and are now being equipped.

Special facilities are being equipped to accommodate those who test positive for Covid-19 and cannot self-isolate at home. #LockdownSA #Covid_19SA pic.twitter.com/9K85GU3IE0

— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) April 9, 2020

In addition, the President, Deputy President, Minister and Deputy Ministers will all take a 33% pay cut for three months. These savings will be donated to the Solidarity Fund

“I am pleased to report that the #SolidarityFund – which was established to mobilise resources from companies, organisations and individuals to combat the coronavirus pandemic – has so far raised around R2.2 billion. It has already allocated around R1 billion to buy sterile gloves, face shields, surgical masks, test kits and ventilators,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, Ramaphosa paid tribute to the South African people.

“Faced with such daunting challenges, you, the people of South Africa, have responded with remarkable patience and courage. You have respected the lockdown. You have accepted the severe restrictions on your movement and many of the daily freedoms that we all take for granted,” he said.

Earlier in the day, the Department of Health confirmed that 1934 people had tested positive for Covid-19 while 18 people have died in the country.

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