National lockdown extended by two weeks
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Thursday evening the lockdown will remain in place until 30 April 2020.
The national lockdown will be extended by two weeks, from midnight on 16 April 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Thursday evening.
“This evening I ask you to ask you to endure even longer. I have to ask you to make even greater sacrifices. After careful consideration of the available evidence, the lockdown will be extended by a further two weeks beyond the initial 21 days.”
“We will use this time to wrap up our public health interventions. We did not take this decision lightly. As your president I am mindful of the heavy burden this will have on our economy. But I know as you do that unless we take these measures now and hold this course, the pandemic will engulf and consume our country.
“As government together with our many partners we have intensified our public health strategy. Our approach is to screen people and isolate those who are infected and care for those who are ill in our health facilities. We have used the last week to develop our screening methodology.”
“Those who cannot self isolate at home will do so at special facilities. We will at all times observe the human rights of all people.”
“Our Covid-19 centre is already identifying hostpots and the spread of the disease. We are working to locate those who have tested positive and those with whom they’ve been in contact.”
“The unemployed insurance fund has set aside R40 billion to assist those who cannot work. To date R356 million has been paid out. I would like to applaud all employers who have continued to pay their employees.”
The president addressed the nation on day 14 of the national lockdown to share the government’s continued efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the country. The address follows a meeting of the National Coronavirus Command Council held on 8 April 2020 and consultations the president held with various social partners.
As of Thursday evening, there were 1934 positive confirmed cases.
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