Editor –

I urge the general public residing within the borders of the municipality to heed the call by State President Cyril Ramaphosa to respect the lockdown period.

On March 23, the State President announced the national lockdown that will last for a period of 21 days, from March 26 to April 16. A lockdown is an emergency protocol that requires people to stay at home.
I therefore encourage people to exercise caution and follow all the instructions that the government has given out to people for safety reasons.

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The main aim is to reduce the spread of this deadly coronavirus. The numbers of infected people have lately escalated, forcing the national government to opt for a lockdown protocol as a preventative measure.

The mayor therefore pleads with the people to do the following:
* Stay home and go out only when seeking medical care.
* Monitor symptoms like cough, fever, dry cough and difficulty breathing.
* Keep a two-metre social distance away from another person.
* Wash your hands with water and soap for at least 20 seconds, or sanitize your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains about 80% alcohol.
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
* A quarantined person must not interact with people until he / she is cleared.
* Cough or sneeze into the fold of your elbow.
* Wear a face mask when leaving your area of self-quarantine.
* Seek medical attention as soon as you become ill.