Taking into consideration the seriousness of the new wave of Covid-19 the municipal command centre will take a decision tomorrow whether Witbank – and Klipfontein Dams will remain open during the festive season.

“In light of the address the President delivered last night we called an urgent meeting for December 30 at 08:00 to discuss the matter,” the municipal manager Mr Sizwe Mayisela said.

“Nearly 27 000 South Africans are known to have died from Covid-19. The number of new coronavirus infections is climbing at an unprecedented rate. More than 50 000 new cases have been reported since Christmas Eve,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said.

“We will all have heard that there is a new variant of Covid-19 that is now well-established in our country. As our scientists study this variant — called 501. V2 — and its spread, it appears that it may be more contagious than the virus that drove the first wave of infections.”

Mayisela echoed what President Ramaphosa said, “The rapid rise in infections is being fuelled by so-called super-spreader events, including like end-of-year functions, family and social gatherings, and music and cultural events. This is a cause for great alarm, and points to an extreme lack of vigilance over the holiday period.”

As soon as the final decision was reached WITBANK NEWS will update their readers.