STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF COGTA ON THE AMENDMENT OF DIRECTIONS FOR ONCE OFF MOVEMENT OF GOODS AND PERSONS

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, designated under section 3 of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002) has in terms of section 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 issued and gazetted a set of amendments of the directions to address, prevent and combat the spread of COVID-19 in South Africa.

These set of Directions are called the Directions on the once-off movement of persons and the transportation of goods for purposes of relocation. The once off movement will commence on 07 May 2020.

The directions will allow individuals and business to move premises within, and across provincial, metropolitan or district boundaries during the period of Alert level 4.

Citizens who were not able to do so due to the lockdown will be allowed to move houses with goods. This includes new lease agreements which were entered into before or during the lockdown period; or in instances where the property transfer occurred before the lockdown period. These directions are limited to a change in place of residence, including the transport of goods to a new place of residence, within the Republic.

Anyone who wishes to take advantage of this period to move, with their goods within, or across provincial, metropolitan or district boundaries, must obtain a permit from the station commander of a police station or a person designated by him or her.

All removals must be performed in compliance with the COVID-19 regulations and the relevant directions issued by the Minister of Transport.

A copy of the gazetted directions can be accessed at the following link: https://bit.ly/3ceioip

ARE FAMILY MEMBERS ALLOWED TO TRAVEL TO OTHER PROVINCES TO ATTEND A FUNERAL OF A CLOSE FAMILY MEMBER?

No, you may not travel to another province to attend the funeral of a close family member during the lockdown. However, the Minister of Transport is currently reviewing these regulations which may change in future.

WHAT DO THE REGULATIONS SAY ABOUT MINIBUS TAXIS TRANSPORTING ESSENTIAL WORKERS OR PEOPLE GOING TO BUY GROCERIES?

During the lockdown period, minibus taxis and buses may transport essential services workers and passengers who need to travel for groceries, medical treatment, medication or access banking services.  These public transport service will however only be available between 05h00 to 10h00 and 16h00 to 20h00.

HOW DO THE REGULATIONS CATER FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO ACCESS SOCIAL GRANTS?

From Monday, 30 March 2020 until Friday, 3 April 2020, buses and minibus taxis are permitted to operate throughout the day. These modes of public transport will begin from 5am until 8 pm to allow for the collection of grants and buying groceries.

WHAT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED TO PROTECT THOSE WHO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT?

All owners of public transport must provide adequate sanitisers or other hygiene dispenser for washing of hands of all passengers.

All operators must ensure that public transport vehicles are sanitised before picking up and after dropping off passengers. All operators must ensure that vehicles’ door and window handles, armrest and hand rails are sanitised. The sanitisers used must have a minimum of 60% alcohol content.

MAY DRIVERS OF MINIBUS TAXIS AND BUSES LOAD THE MAXIMUM PASSENGER CAPACITY, IF ALL PASSENGERS ARE WEARING MASKS?

No. Minibus taxis and buses may not load the maximum passenger capacity of public transport vehicles. Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula has, after careful consideration and in consultation with the taxi industry, rescinded the Direction allowing 100% loading capacity for taxis with immediate effect. Minibus taxis must therefore only apply a 70% loading capacity for public transport vehicles.

WHAT MEASURES ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED TO PROMOTE SOCIAL DISTANCING IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT?

Minibus taxis and buses must reduce their maximum licensed passenger seating capacity to 70%, if passengers are not wearing masks. The follows applies:

(a) A minibus licensed to carry 10 passengers, is limited to carry a maximum of 7 passengers;

(b) A minibus licensed to carry 15 passengers, is limited to carry the maximum of 10 passengers;

(c) A midi -bus permitted to carry a maximum of 22 passengers, is limited to carry a maximum of 15 passengers.

WHAT SAFETY MEASURES ARE THERE TO PROTECT DRIVERS AND MARSHALS IN THE MINIBUS TAXI SECTOR?

All drivers must wear a surgical mask or N95 respiratory mask. Any marshal who interacts with members of the public in a public transport facility must wear a mask. All public transport operators are required to put measures in place to adhere to social distancing to curb the spread of the virus.

WILL METERED TAXIS AND E-HAILING (E.G. UBER) SERVICES BE OPERATIONAL?

These transport services are available to transport essential service workers during the stipulated times of 05h00 to 10h00 and 16h00 to 20h00. However, a vehicle licensed to carry up to four passengers is limited to carrying 50% of their permissible passenger carrying capacity.

WHAT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS SHOULD METERED TAXIS AND E-HAILING SERVICES IMPLEMENT TO PROTECT PASSENGERS?

Minister Fikile Mbalula: Coronavirus COVID-19 level 3 lockdown transport measures

In his address to the nation on Sunday, President Ramaphosa announced that the alert level for the whole country will be lowered from Level 4 to Level 3 with effect from 1 June 2020.

The President further emphasized that we must get used to living with the coronavirus for some time to come.  We must therefore internalize the new normal.  We have consistently emphasized that working with civil society, we will redouble our efforts in ensuring that the transport sector is not responsible for the rapid spread of the virus.

As the country moves to level 3, with more industries resuming operations, learners returning to school, the transport sector must be responsive to enable mobility of both workers and learners.  In doing so, we must maintain a delicate balance between enabling mobility and arresting the spread of the virus.  Our commitment to preservation of human life above all else, is informed by our constitution, which enjoins us in ensuring that the right to life is non-derogable and therefore supersedes all other rights.

The consultations we have held with industry bodies, across various modes of transport, have given us confidence that the majority of the sector is ready to resume operations with strict adherence to health protocols.

Regulations published by the Minister of Co-operative Governance, which give effect to Level 3, enjoins us to publish Directions, responsive to the gradual easing of the lockdown.  The re-opening of the schools and some institutions of higher learning in June require of us to put measures in place to enable safe movement of learners and students.  Similarly, the increase in the number of people returning to work means more activity on our roads.

Our level 3 Directions, which come into effect on 1 June 2020, demonstrate the careful balancing act of enabling mobility while arresting the spread of the virus through the transport system.

We have taken note of advisories from the World Health Organisation and the Department of Health, discouraging the use of sanitizing booths due to health concerns.  We will ensure that these are not utilized at our transport facilities.

MARITIME TRANSPORT

There will be no changes to the Directions regulating the movement of ships.  The ban on passenger vessels and cruise liners remains in place, and only vessels bringing in cargo are allowed to call on our ports.

However, it is important to note that movement of cargo from our sea-ports to its final destination is allowed.  Similarly, full operations for the port of Mossel Bay and port of Saldanha Bay for movement of Cargo will be permitted.

Furthermore, allowance will be made for South African registered seafarers to embark and disembark ships with a mandatory quarantine for those returning. To this extent, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) shall be directed to issue a Marine Notice to this effect.

AVIATION

Limited domestic air travel for business purposes will be allowed, subject to restrictions on the number of flights per day and authorization based on the reason for travel.  The availability of port health services will also guide the scheduling of flights.  The resumption of domestic flights will be rolled out in three phases.  This phased approach will be guided by the following considerations:

• Port Health capacity at the golden triangle airports.  These are OR  Tambo International, Cape Town International and King Shaka International airports.
• Initial period will also serve as a trial period to stress test the system and measures to determine if they are holding up or not.
• Lanseria Airport to arrange Port Health Capacity and government to certify it before any flight is allowed to take off or land. We will in this regard, work closely with the management of this privately owned airport to ensure that all the necessary measures are in place.
• Move to phase 2 is informed by the current low infection rates in the inland provinces.
• We will further engage with the Industry stakeholders on the contributions that are necessary for Port Health capacity in the operations of Phases 2 and 3 of the roll-out.

Guided by these considerations, commercial aircraft movement will be allowed from these airports during each phase:

Phase 1

• OR Tambo International Airport
• Cape Town International Airport
• King Shaka International Airport, and
• Lanseria International Airport

Phase 2

• Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport
• Polokwane International Airport
• Bram Fischer Airport

Phase 3

• Kimberley Airport
• Upington Airport
• East London Airport
• Umtata Airport
• Port Elizabeth Airport

Guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus in civil aviation activities have been developed by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) and these will be implemented by the industry, with SACAA playing an oversight role.

We have evaluated the plans in full and have also considered the non-pharmaceutical interventions as well as mitigation strategies to be implemented by all airlines operating in our domestic markets and are confident that they will assist in the containment of the spread of the virus.  We have also assessed the measures being rolled out globally in the airline industry and benchmarked against these, when an assessment was done by the Department of Transport on the state of readiness related to the aviation industry.

Airports

Limited domestic air travel also means that flights will only be allowed to depart and land at selected airports in a phased manner as earlier explained.

Only passengers will be allowed inside the terminal buildings.  Therefore, no accompanying members of the public will be allowed inside the terminal buildings.

Temperature screening will be conducted at the terminal building entrances, before any passenger is allowed entry.

No passengers will be allowed inside the terminal buildings without masks.

ACSA will ensure effectiveness of the sanitization process before entering the terminal buildings, which may result in the number of entrances being reduced.

All the airports will have markings on the floor for social distancing of 1.5 metres.  This will be applicable at check-in counters, security checkpoints and airport lounges.

All airline check-in agents will wear face shields and the counters will be installed with protective screens.  Check-in counters will also be frequently sanitized.

All airport personnel will wear masks.

Passengers are encouraged to use self-check-in to avoid queues at the airport.

At boarding gates, boarding will be staggered and prioritized in terms of the number of passengers to board.  Sectional boarding will be implemented to avoid unnecessary contact inside the aircraft.

Inside the cabin, full capacity will be allowed.  It must be noted that the risk of COVID-19 infection onboard a commercial passenger airliner is lower than in many other confined spaces.  All our commercial aircrafts are fitted with the High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters.  These are manufactured to the same standard as those used in hospital operating theatres and industrial clean rooms, with the same efficacy of 99.97% in removing viruses.

While the total air supply inside the cabin is essentially sterile and particle free, the biggest risk is if someone enters or remains in that environment, while unwell with a viral infection.  This risk will be mitigated through the adoption of effective sanitization and personal hygiene protocols.

The following measures will apply inside the cabin of the aircraft:

• no catering will be allowed;
• no magazines on board;
•  The last row will be reserved for isolation of suspected cases.

All aircrafts must be disinfected before entering into service and after each flight;

Loading capacity for all airport buses must be limited to 70%.  These buses must be disinfected after off-loading.  Drivers, baggage handlers and ground handlers must be fully equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

On arrival, all passengers must be screened as they enter the terminal building.  Suspected cases must be referred to Port Health.

Aviation Training

Aviation Training Organisations are allowed to conduct both virtual and in contact aviation training to students that are South African citizens and to foreign students that are already in South Africa, subject to all applicable COVID-19 Regulations and Directions.

Foreign students who are not within the borders of South Africa are allowed to only conduct virtual training.

Additional authorisation for training flights is not required, provided that the aircraft used is registered with an approved Part 141 Aviation Training Organisation.

Skills tests are allowed provided that the Examiner or Instructor is authorised to conduct a flight test by the South African Civil Aviation Authority.

General Aviation operators will be required to develop and implement procedures consistent with applicable COVID-19 Regulations and Directions.

RAIL

When we presented Level 4 Directions, we indicated that commuter rail will resume operations gradually on an incremental basis, based on detailed plans submitted by operators.  Indeed, the Gautrain resumed its operations at the beginning of May 2020.  As on 1 June 2020, the Gautrain will resume the airport service.

Through our ongoing engagements and evaluation of PRASA’s state of readiness to resume operations, we have concluded that PRASA is not ready to resume with the Metrorail commuter service.  We continue to work closely with PRASA in assessing each line and put measures in place to achieve an acceptable level of readiness.

We have therefore revised our timelines in respect of the resumption of the Metrorail commuter service.  The revised target date is now 1 July 2020, on the following lines:

• Pretoria to Pienaarspoort;
• Cape Town to Simonstown;
• East London to Berlin; and
• Port Elizabeth to Uitenhage

Long distance trains remain prohibited.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

With the increase in the number of people returning to work and learners and students returning to institutions of learning, long distance public transport crossing Provincial, Metropolitan or District boundaries is permitted to operate.  The condition for such operation is that public transport vehicles are only permitted to transport persons permitted to travel between Provinces in terms of the Regulations.  Such travel is only restricted to:

• Perons undertaking work responsibilities or performing a service permitted under Alert Level 3, provided they are in possession of the requisite permit.
• Persons moving to a new place of residence;
• Persons caring for an immediate family member;
• Learners or students who have to commute to and from those schools or institutions of higher learning during periods when those schools or institutions are permitted to operate.
• Attendance of funerals;
• Transportation of mortal remains;
• Obtaining medical treatment;
• Persons returning to their place of residence from a quarantine or isolation facility;
• Movement of children; and
• Members of Parliament performing oversight responsibilities.

The time restrictions on all road-based public transport modes are lifted.  Public transport will now be allowed to operate throughout the day.  However, capacity restrictions remain:

• Minibus-taxis remain at 70% loading capacity;
• Buses must adhere to a maximum loading capacity of 50%, taking due regard of standing passengers;
• eHailing and Metred Taxis remain at 50% loading capacity
• Shuttle, Chauffer and Charter services remain at 50% loading capacity.

DRIVERS’ LICENCE TESTING CENTRES, VEHICLE TESTING CENTRES AND PROVINCIAL REGULATORY ENTITIES

All Drivers’ Licence Testing Centres (DLTCs), Vehicle Testing Centres (VTCs) and Provincial Regulatory Entities (PREs) will resume their operations on 1 June 2020, subject to strict application of health norms and standards and their ability to pass the assessment on their state of readiness test conducted by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).

CONCLUSION

We remain guided by the Risk-adjusted approach of government and have taken a cautious approach to the measures easing the lockdown effects on transport. We will further continue with our engagement with the stakeholders within the transport sector to find solutions to the difficult task at hand of balancing the competing interests and preservation of lives and supporting livelihoods.

MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND INNOVATION STATEMENT ON THE MEASURES TO PHASEOUT THE LOCKDOWN AND PHASING IN OF PSET STRATEGIC FUNCTIONS

Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma: Coronavirus Covid-19 Level 3 Lockdown Regulations

Media briefing by Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Level 3 in line with the Risk-based approach to contain the Spread of COVID-19

Colleagues;
Members of the fourth estate;
Compatriots.

84 days have lapsed since the first reported case of COVID-19 on our shores. From that day onwards, led by the steady hand of the President, we have put in place measures to contain the spread of the virus and save lives. These measures have been coordinated by Cabinet with the advice and inputs of the various Command Councils in all our spheres of governance.

All these levels and spheres have greatly benefitted from inputs of various experts and scientists, including those that serve in the Minister of Health’s Advisory Committee on the Coronavirus.

Our efforts have also been directed by consultations we have had with various sectors and constituencies in our country including the local government, traditional leaders, religious sector, NEDLAC and the private sector.

We have also benefitted from the overwhelming support we have received from all South Africans.

Ordinary South Africans from all walks of life, political persuasions, religious conviction and cultural backgrounds from all races and classes have largely heeded our call to stay at home, practice hygiene measures such as washing of hands and maintaining a safe social distance. These simple but effective measures are the most important ammunition in our fight against COVID-19, in the absence of a cure or vaccine.

We have also been encouraged by the reignition of solidarity and activism by millions of South Africans, who through acts of kindness have ensured that those who are less fortunate are fed, cared for and have access to masks and sanitizers. Indeed, we have confirmed ourselves as a great and resilient nation. The measure of a great nation is how it treats the weakest and not the strongest, as once said by Madiba.

Thanks to your sacrifices and contributions we have managed to flatten the curve, but the peak of the curve remains in the horizon. As we migrate the country into Alert Level 3, as announced by the President, we must redouble our efforts so as to further contain and prevent deaths.

These next phases of our fight and Level 3 allows us to open up all the productive sectors of our economy, al be it to a moderate degree in some high-risk sectors. This risk level, thanks to the employ of the Risk Adjusted Strategy allows us to maintain the delicate balancing act between saving the lives and livelihoods of South Africans.

It also requires greater responsibility and discipline from all us as citizens of this resilient nation.

Consequently, at this alert level everyone who enters a work, public space and/or public transport must wear a cloth face mask or a homemade item that covers the nose and mouth. We must also ensure that all our public facilities have sanitisers and that all patrons are screened.

These coming phases also confirm prevention as a corner stone of our response. It is only healthy communities and individuals that can drive our recovery plan, on the other side of the infection curve. We must also remain cognisant of the ever-present danger of reversing the gains we have thus far recorded. “In fact, the risk of a massive increase in infections is now greater than it has been since the start of the outbreak in our country”, to quote the President.

Compatriots, as we have said before, our Risk Adjusted Strategy is also based on a combination of sound and scientific advice and benchmarking against international experience. Countries such as Vietnam have inspired our approach to eventually reduce the numbers of infection and curb the loss of lives. To paraphrase Che Guevarra, we must aim to have at least as many Vietnams as we have provinces and districts. Thus, in the employ of the Risk Adjusted strategy we have subjected each province and district or metro to its own level of the risk alert system. This will assist us in mounting coordinated and targeted interventions, especially in the deployment of our limited resources.

Nonetheless, as per the announcement of the President, we will move the whole of South Africa to Risk Level 3, which implies certain adjustments to our Level 4 Regulations. However, our state of national lockdown continues, until such time we have flattened the curve for a sustained period.

In this regard, our differentiated approach and risks levels will be directed by the advice we will receive from the Minister of Health and inputs from the WHO, ministerial advisory committee, experts and various cabinet ministers. These levels are applicable “at a provincial level and … to all metropolitan areas and districts within that province, unless a different alert level is explicitly determined… as a hotspot”.

So far, we have only identified potential hotspots, and we are doing all we can to change the fortune of these areas. In the event that our collective efforts bear little or no fruits, such an area will require added efforts including subjecting it to higher level restrictions including the limiting of movements within and to and from a hotspot.

In the areas that are not hotspots we will allow movements within the district and localities. We will permit movement only to and from work, as well as to buy or obtain available goods, services and medical attention. Limitations on movement across provinces and now between metropolitan areas and districts and hotspots is prohibited, except for persons travelling for purposes of starting work; moving to a new residence; or caring for an immediate family member. Provided such persons have the relevant permits.

Given that schools will open in phased approach, we will also open travel in between provinces and districts for pupils, students and teaching staff.

As said by the President we will lift the curfew and allow more time for exercising, walking, and cycling. However, this is permitted so long as this is not done in organized groupings. In this regard, health protocols and social distancing must be strictly observed.

Public training, fitness and recreation facilities remain closed except those conducting non-contact sports matches, without spectators. The Minister of Arts, Culture and Sports will elaborate on this.

Workplace gatherings for work purposes will be permitted under strict conditions and the observance of health, hygiene and social distancing protocols. Employers must ensure that the 1.5 metres distance is maintained amongst employees. We will have to limit the number of people in the workplaces, so that we minimise the chance of infection.

In minimising the chances of infection, on site consumption places for food, entertainment and recreation will remain closed. These include places such as restaurants, shebeens, taverns, night clubs, bars, cinemas, theatres, fêtes, bazaars; casinos; and similar places.

As will hotels, lodges, bed and breakfasts, timeshare facilities and resorts and guest houses, remain closed, except those that are accommodating remaining and confined tourists, persons lodging as a result of work purposes; and persons in quarantine or isolation. The various ministers will elaborate on these aspects especially the Minister of Tourism.

With regards to funerals. At Level 3 we will continue to limit interprovincial travel for the purposes of attending funerals. Those permitted to travel are legal spouses or partners of the deceased; children or grandchildren of the deceased, whether biological, adopted or stepchildren; children-in-law of the deceased; parents of the deceased whether biological, adopted or stepparents; siblings, whether biological, adopted or stepbrothers or sisters of the deceased; and/or grandparents of the deceased.

Indeed, the virus, has challenged our ways as a society and our various cultures.

This is a time when we should all join in meditation, fellowship and prayer. Consequently, we will have a national-day-of-prayer, on Sunday, as announced by the President. This day must be observed in the comfort of your homes or through virtual means.

We have also widely consulted with the religious sector and are now in a position to categorise religious counselling as an essential services. This will enable the millions who have been affected by the virus, to receive this much needed service, since the majority cannot afford professional attention of this nature.

We will also permit religious gatherings such as church services as of June 1, so long as health, hygiene and social distancing is observed. This means that we must maintain 1.5metres between the maximum of 50 congregants, should the chosen venue be able to accommodate such. We must all be wearing masks when we attend our places of worship, and the washing of hands or sanitization should be undertaken prior to worship.

Our places of worship must be sanitized, and the screening of participants is mandatory. The issued directions elaborate on the other protocols that should be observed.

Our lived experiences have shown funerals as high COVID-19 transmission vessels. Consequently, we will continue to limit the number of funeral attendees to 50. Provided the transportation, hygiene, health and social distancing protocols and guidelines are observed. The station commanders of all our police stations a charged with the duty to keep meticulous records with regards to the funerals and number of attendees.

Recent experiences particularly in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Limpopo show that interprovincial travel has contributed to community transmissions. Consequently, travel between our provinces remains prohibited with the exception of those in possession of permits to attend funerals or conduct essential services and level 3 functions in between our provinces and districts. Which forms are available as an attachment to the regulations we publish today.

Our international ports of entry remain closed except for those designated by the Minister of Home Affairs to undertake (a) the transportation of fuel cargo and goods; and (b) humanitarian operations, repatriations, evacuations, medical emergencies, movements for diplomatic and international organisations and staff and other exceptions.

The Minister of Home Affairs will also elaborate on the category of persons allowed to undertake international travel under exceptional circumstances these include those returning to work, study or residence here and abroad. Suffice to say, this category of persons will be expected to adhere to strict entry and exit protocols which include screening, quarantine or isolation, sanitisation, social distancing and the wearing of masks.

In order to ensure smooth movement of employees and as a measure to carefully and gradually open our economy we will also permit a limited domestic air travel service. The Minister of Transport will soon announce and attach relevant directions in this regard as well as in relation to across country and interprovincial cargo which is also currently permitted. Suffice to say current regulations, directions, guidelines and health protocols will be strengthened so as to factor in the increased and gradual return to work of many more people.

Amongst those returning to work are all public servants, with the exception of those who have permission to conduct work from home from time to time and those that are older than 60 or carry with them comorbidity conditions. Our message remains the same — work from home if you can, wash your hands, and maintain a safe 1.5 metre social distance from the next person. The Minister of Public Services and Administration has issued a circular in this regard.

This provision also means that local governments can and will operate close to full operation. Consequently, council meetings and gatherings can resume with strict social distancing, hygiene and health measures. Directions in this regard will be issued.

Given the potential for further transmissions, we will continue to prohibit public engagements such as iZimbizo and IDP consultations and limit them to virtual, electronic and broadcast platforms as we are currently doing.

The various associations and businesses have also developed industry specific guidelines. However, recent experiences, particularly in the mining sector, direct us to strengthen these, in consultation with the various industries.

Compatriots, when we embarked on this journey, we did say it would not be smooth sailing. We have had to adjust our plans as we gained and gathered more experience.

COVID-19 has hit hard on all South Africans, particularly those who are vulnerable and homeless. We have mounted a response. But we cannot afford to have many more in the streets. To this end, we will continue to prohibit the eviction of tenants during level 3.

However, given that rental income is also an important livelihood stream for some, we have inserted the possibility for a competent court to grant an eviction order provided it is just and equitable.

The sale of tobacco, tobacco products, e-cigarettes and related products remains prohibited, except when they are destined for the export market.

The sale of liquor in licensed premises will now be permitted as of the 1st of June 2020, for the limited period between Mondays and Thursdays from 09h00 and 17h00. However, onsite consumption is prohibited, and e commerce sales will be permitted subject to the same onsite trade days and times. The Minister of Trade, Industry and Competitions will elaborate in this regard, suffice to say no special or events liquor licenses will be issued for the duration of the state of national disaster.

In opening our economy, we must maintain a firm eye on our goal of flattening the curve and minimising the rates of infections and deaths. We must remain conscious of the ever-present danger that we can quickly reverse our gains if we act too hastily and irresponsibly. To this end, the operating sectors of our economy must pay attention to strict, health, hygiene and social distancing measures. Workplaces must employ extra ordinary measures to protect our citizens. We must therefore minimise the number of workers at the workplace at any given time, and also encourage remote working.

We must also secure the livelihoods of our citizens. The social and economic measures we have implemented, have at times not fully reached the intended recipients. Through collaboration and conceited actions, we will better target our interventions, so that we see a brighter and better South Africa, beyond the virus.

All the measures we have implemented are difficult, but necessary. We must endure today so as to secure the future of this beautiful nation.

Morena boloka Sechaba sa heso!!

Briefing by members of the National Command Council on COVID-19 Lockdown Extension

BRIEFING BY MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL COMMAND COUNCIL ON COVID-19 LOCKDOWN EXTENSION

Ministers of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola will today , 16 April 2020 brief the nation on regulations pertaining to the extension of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Members of the media are invited to a virtual media briefing as per the details below:

Date: Thursday , 16 April 2020

Time: 12h30

Media Participation: Journalists may view the briefing via live streaming on the SA Government Facebook page, Twitter and YouTube channels on the links below.

Facebook: http://facebook.com/GovernmentZA

Twitter: http://twitter.com/GovernmentZA

YouTube: http://youtube.com/GovernmentZA

For interaction, journalists may call and pose their questions using the following number: 0800 142 446.

SABC will provide pool feed as follows:

– Downlink Frequency 12649.5
– Symbol Rate: 2.7 M/Sym
– Hd 10801 25 H.264 4:2:0
– Rollof factor 5%
– DVB- S2 8psk
– Audio Channel 1 256kbs

Enquiries: Mr William Baloyi 083 390 7147

Issued by Government Communication and Information System

16 April 2020

Amendment of shared custody regulations during lockdown

MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT SENDS DIRECTION FOR AMENDMENT OF SHARED CUSTODY REGULATIONS DURING LOCKDOWN

In support of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s declaration of COVID-19 as a national disaster, the Minister of Social Development – Ms Lindiwe Zulu, issued directions prohibiting movement of children between co-holders of parental responsibilities and rights on 30 March 2020.

This was as an effort to address, prevent and combat the spread of COVID-19 in terms of Section 10 (5) of the Regulations of Disaster Management and to ensure that the children’s wellbeing is protected and their best interests upheld during the lockdown.

“This prohibition of movement was never intended to limit or prohibit contact with the child/ children or to punish parents as the Department believes in family strengthening and preservation. According to the Children’s Act, 2005 (Act No. 38 of 2005), the Department of Social development is responsible for the protection of children and promotion of their rights. However, the implementation of the directions brought an outcry to the co-holders of parental responsibilities and rights,” said Minister Zulu.

To ensure that rights and concerns of co-holders of parental responsibilities are considered, Minister Lindiwe Zulu issued a directive to amend the regulations on 7 April 2020.

The amendment of the directions 6(m)(i) and (ii) issued on the 30 March 2020 reads as follows:

6 (m)  Directions to contain the spread of COVID-19 in exercising the care and contact by persons who are co-holders of parental responsibilities and rights or a caregiver during the lockdown period

(i)          Movement of children between co-holders of parental responsibilities and rights or a caregiver, as defined in the Children’s Act,2005 (Act No. 38 of 2005) during the lockdown period, is prohibited, except where arrangements are in place for a child to move from one parent to another, in terms of-

(aa) a court order; or

(bb) where a parental responsibilities and rights’ agreement or parenting plan, registered with the family advocate is in existence –

provided that there is no person who is known or reasonably suspected to have come into contact with any other person known or reasonably suspected to have contracted COVID-19 in the household which the child has to move to.

(ii)         The court order or the agreement referred to in sub-paragraph (bb) or a certified copy thereof must be in the possession of the parent or caregiver transporting the child concerned.

These changes aim to ensure that the existing parenting plans, made an order of the court and those registered with the Family Advocate’s office, are implemented whilst exercising precautionary measures that will prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection whilst promoting the best interests of the child/children.

“As the Minister of Social Development, I hope that these changes are welcomed and respond to the outcry by the co-holders of parental responsibilities and rights, the caregivers,” concluded Minister Zulu.

ESSENTIAL SERVICES DURING THE LOCKDOWN PERIOD

Essential services, and those that support them, will continue to provide the necessities of life for everyone during the lockdown period.

This means that food, medicine, healthcare, energy, fuel, essential municipal services, internet and banking services will continue to be available.

During the lockdown, anyone not working in essential services must stay at home and stop all physical interactions with others outside of your household.

If you’re unsure whether your business provides essential services, you should close for the duration of the lockdown. We need as many businesses as possible to close to slow the spread of the virus.

If your business is considered essential, you must operate in a way that minimises the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Businesses should:

• minimise, or eliminate if possible, physical interactions among staff and with and between customers
• ensure appropriate health, hygiene and safety measures are in place
• restrict activity to only what is essential during this period

If you have any queries about what an essential service is and if it applies to your sector, you can get in touch with lockdownexemptions@thedtic.gov.za or call 0861 843 348 or 012 394 9500 for advice regarding your specific business.

What are essential goods and services?

Essential goods and services are those listed in terms of the regulations issued by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs under the Disaster Management Act.

These include the following:

GOODS

1. Food
   1. Any food product, including non-alcoholic beverages;
   2. Animal food; and
   3. Chemicals, packaging and ancillary products used in the production of any food product.

1. Cleaning and Hygiene Products
   1. Toilet Paper, sanitary pads, sanitary tampons, condoms;
   2. Hand sanitiser, disinfectants, soap, alcohol for industrial use, household cleaning products, and personal protective equipment;
   3. Chemicals, packaging and ancillary products used in the production of any of the above;
   4. Products for the care of babies and toddlers; and
   5. Personal toiletries, including haircare, body and face washes, roll-ons, deodorants, toothpaste.
2. Medical Products
   1. Medical and Hospital Supplies, medicine, equipment and personal protective equipment; and
   2. Chemicals, packaging and ancillary products used in the production of any of the above.

4. Fuel, including coal, wood and gas
5. Basic goods, including airtime, electricity and the withdrawal of cash.

SERVICES

1. Medical, Health (including Mental Health), Laboratory and Medical services and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases;
2. Disaster Management, Fire Prevention, Fire Fighting and Emergency services;
3. 3.1 (a) The following services necessary to maintain the functioning of a financial system as defined in section 1(1) of the Financial Sector Regulation Act, only when the operation of a place of business or entity is necessary to continue to perform those services:

1. the banking environment (including the operations of mutual banks, cooperative banks, co-operative financial institutions and the Postbank);
2. the payments environment;
3. the financial markets (including market infrastructures licensed under the Financial Markets Act, 2012 (Act No. 19 of 2012);
4. the insurance environment;
5. the savings and investment environment;
6. pension fund administration;
7. outsourced administration;
8. medical schemes administration; and
9. additional designated services.

(b) The services listed in paragraph (a) may not be construed to include debt collection services.

1. 1. Services necessary for the provision of social grants.

1. Production and sale of essential goods;
2. Grocery stores and wholesale produce markets, including spaza shops and informal food traders, with written permission from a municipal authority to operate being required in respect of informal food traders;
3. Electricity (including vital demand management services), water, gas and fuel production, supply and maintenance;
4. Critical jobs for essential government services as determined by Head of National or Provincial Departments in accordance with the guidance of the Department of Public Service and Administration, including Social Grant Payments and pension payments;
5. Birth and death certificates, and replacement identification documents;
6. Essential municipal services;
7. Care services and social relief of distress provided to older persons, mentally ill, persons with disabilities, the sick, and children;
8. Funeral and cremation services, including mortuaries services and the transportation of mortal remains;
9. Wildlife Management, Anti-poaching, Animal Care and Veterinary services;
10. Newspaper, broadcasting and telecommunication infrastructure and services, including call centres critical for the support of such services;
11. Production and sale of any chemicals, hygiene products, pharmaceuticals for the medical or retail sector;
12. Cleaning, sanitation, pest control, sewerage, waste and refuse removal services;
13. Services related to the essential functioning of courts, judicial officers, the Master of the High Court, Sheriffs and legal practitioners required for those services;
14. Essential SARS services defined by the Commissioner of SARS;
15. Police, peace officers, traffic officers, military medical personnel and soldiers, correctional services officials and traffic management services;
16. Postal services and courier services related to transport of medical products;
17. Private security services;
18. Air-traffic Navigation, Civil Aviation Authority, air charters, Cargo Shipping and dockyard services;
19. Gold, gold refinery, coal and essential mining;
20. Accommodation used for persons rendering essential services, quarantine, isolation and the lockdown;
21. Production, manufacturing, supply, logistics, transport, delivery, critical maintenance and repair in relation to the rendering of essential services including components and equipment;
22. Transport services for persons rendering essential services and goods, and transportation of patients;
23. Services rendered by the Executive, members of Parliament, Members of the Provincial Legislature, Members of Local Councils, the Judiciary, traditional leaders and National Office Bearers of Political Parties represented in Parliament;
24. Commissioners of the South African Human Rights Commission, Gender Commission, and the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities, and the Public Protector and Deputy Public Protector; and
25. Transport and logistics in respect of cargo and goods as set out in Part A to neighbouring countries;
26. Tow trucks and vehicle recovery services;
27. Call centres necessary to provide health, safety, social support, government and financial services;
28. Harvesting and storage activities essential to prevent the wastage of primary agricultural goods;
29. Implementation of payroll systems to the extent that such arrangement has not been made for the lockdown, to ensure timeous payments to workers; and
30. Critical maintenance services which cannot be delayed for more than 21 days and are essential to resume operations after the lockdown.

Note: In terms of the definition in 11A, this is in addition to services as defined in –

(a) section 213 of the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (Act No. 66 of 1995); and

(b) designated in terms of section 71(8) of the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (and which designation remains valid as at the date of publication of this regulation).

Permission to operate as an essential service

Only companies permitted in terms of the lockdown regulations will be allowed to continue operating through the period. Companies are encouraged to register as an essential service with the CIPC at www.bizportal.gov.za, which will generate a certificate confirming their status as essential for the duration of the lockdown. This certificate itself is not sufficient to allow a company to continue operating – all companies must still comply with the regulations, and their certificate will be revoked if they provide false information or are not an essential service. Sole proprietors, healthcare providers registered with the HPCSA and others not governed by the CIPC need not register on the portal.

Essential personnel should be provided with a letter on a company letterhead confirming that they are providing an essential service.

In terms of section 11B of the Regulations:

“(2) The head of an institution must determine essential services to be performed by his or her institution, and must determine the essential staff who will perform those services: Provided that the head of an institution may delegate this function, as may be required in line with the complexity and size of the business operation.

(3) Persons performing essential services as determined in subregulation (2), must be duly designated in writing by the head of an institution.”

Additional decisions, clarifications and exemptions – updated 5pm, 2 April 2020

• • Call centres are permitted to operate if they support essential services, in terms of the amendments to the Regulations published on 26 March 2020.
  • Harvesting and storage of primary agricultural goods is permitted, in terms of the amendments to the Regulations published on 26 March 2020.

• National Fresh Produce Markets are permitted to remain open, as they are essential to supply retail stores and informal food retailers in urban areas. The transport of fresh produce to formal and informal retailers is an essential service and therefore allowed. Recreational markets must remain closed.

• There is no restriction on the sale of essential goods by spaza shops, including those operated by foreign nationals.

• Effective hygiene measures must be followed at all grocery stores and supermarkets, including the provision of hand sanitiser and the maintenance of 1 m2 distance between customers at all times.

• All South African ports remain open for port operations, and all cargo will be allowed passage at ports of entry to prevent bottlenecks and ensure the continuous supply of essential goods into the country. Non-essential goods will be transported to the nearest storage facility, including empty and full container depots,and dry and liquid bulk storage depots. Distribution of non-essential cargo will be carefully managed so as to limit the need for large numbers of employees to report for duty to transport these goods.

• From 2 April 2020, informal food traders are permitted to operate on the condition that they have permission from a municipal authority.

Frequently asked questions

Which shops can remain open?

Retail stores, spaza shops and informal traders can remain open only where essential goods (such as food and medicine) are sold and on condition that the person in control of the store must ensure that customers keep a distance of at least 1 m2 from each other, and that all directions in respect of hygienic conditions and the exposure of persons to COVID-19 are adhered to.

Is the sale of liquor allowed?

No, liquor sales are strictly prohibited for the duration of the lockdown. This also applies to supermarkets with liquor licences. No liquor will be sold anywhere by anyone during the 21-day period of the lockdown. Equally, the movement of liquor between any two points is also strictly prohibited as per the COVID-19 Disaster Management Regulations.

Which accommodation facilities may remain open?

During the lockdown period, the following categories of establishments can remain open:

• Those providing accommodation for international tourists who must remain in their hotels and persons providing essential services to these hotels.
• Those who have been approved by the Department of Health as appropriate quarantine facilities.

No other accommodation establishments may continue to operate during the lockdown period.

Are car rentals an essential service?

No, car rental companies are not permitted to operate during the lockdown period. However, e-hailing services may be used for permitted activities (such as transporting essential workers or for the purchase of essential goods) on the condition that they carry only 50% of the capacity of the vehicle.

Will public transport remain in operation?

During the lockdown period, minibus taxis and buses may transport essential services workers and passengers who need to travel for groceries, medical treatment, medication or to access banking services. Minibus taxis may carry a maximum of 70% of their capacity. This means that a 15-seater minibus may carry 10 passengers, and a 10-seater minibus may carry 7 passengers. Taxis are required to provide hand sanitisers, and to sanitise their vehicles before picking up any passengers.

Are childcare services and childminders available?

Early Childhood Development centres closed on 18 March 2020, and childcare services are not included in the list of essential services to prevent a large number of people travelling to work. Parents/caregivers are advised to make alternative care arrangements during this period.

Are restaurants and take-away outlets open?

No, restaurants and take-away outlets will remain closed for the duration of the lockdown.

Can I have groceries delivered to my home?

Yes, grocery delivery services are permitted to operate – but they may not deliver prepared food.

[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”National Lockdown Regulations” open=”no” class=”” id=””]

We all have a part to play in fighting the spread of the virus.

• The national lockdown strengthens our fight to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
• All South Africans will have to stay at home from 27 March to 16 April 2020.
• You can only be outside of your home to acquire food, essential goods or while seeking medical attention.
• The movement between provinces, metropolitan and district areas is prohibited.
• All gatherings are banned expect for funerals which is limited to 50 people. No night vigils will be allowed.
• No liquor will be sold during the 21-day period of the lockdown.
• The movement of liquor is strictly prohibited.
• All borders will be closed except for the transportation of food and essential goods.
• All foreign tourists who arrived prior to or after the lockdown are to remain in their place of temporary residence.

Essential services keeps our nation functioning.

• Essential services are services that if interrupted would endanger the life, health or personal safety of the population.
• It includes the provision of basics such as food, medicine, healthcare, energy and fuel to be available.
• Essential businesses, and those suppliers that support them will continue to remain open as part of essential services.
• Government services such as the provision of birth and death certificates, and replacement of ID documents are also available.
• It ensures the municipal services such as waste-removal and sanitation are provided.
• The police, security and emergence services, and the courts are also an essential service.

 People exempted from the lockdown are all those working in the essential services.

• They include the following categories:
• Pharmaceutical, Medical, Health, Laboratory Services.
• Disaster Management and Emergence Services.
• Financial Services.
• Producers of food and essential products including hygiene products.
• Grocery stores and spaza shops.
• Energy, water, gas and fuel production supply and maintenance.
• Essential government services.
• Birth and death certificates, and replacement of ID documents
• Essential municipal services.
• Care services to the vulnerable.
• Funeral services, including mortuaries.
• Media and telecoms services.
• Sanitation and refuse removal services.
• Courts and judicial officers.
• Police and security services.
• Postal services and the courier of medical products.
• Transport of people rendering essential services.
• Transport and logistics of essential goods.

A full list of essential services under the State of Disaster Lockdown Regulations can be found here: http://www.cogta.gov.za/?p=7822

The transportation of essential goods and workers providing essential services is allowed.

• Buses, minibus taxis, private cars and e-hailing services will be allowed to transport essential services workers between 5am – 9am and 4pm and 8pm.
• These vehicles must not carry more than 50 per cent of the licenced capacity and limit the exposure of persons to COVID-19.
• All long-distance passenger rail services, both public and private, will stop operations for the duration of the lockdown.
• All commuter rail services will shut down for the duration of the lockdown including Metrorail and Gautrain services.
• All air and maritime passenger services are prohibited except for the transportation of essential cargo.
• All cross-border road passenger movements will be prohibited for the duration of the lockdown.
• Should your driver’s licence expire during the duration of the lockdown it shall be deemed to remain valid until the end of the lockdown.
• A 14-day grace period will be granted for renewal of licences which expire during the lockdown.

What will be closed?

• Public Parks
• Swimming Pools and Beaches.
• Fetes, flea markets and bazaars
• Night clubs
• Casinos
• Taverns, Shebeens, Shisanyama
• Only grocery stores and pharmacies will remain open in shopping malls.
• Religious, cultural and sporting venues.

 What remains open or still operating?

• Supermarkets
• Food shops
• Pharmacies
• Hospitals
• Petrol stations
• Post offices
• Banks
• JSE
• Police
• Military
• Emergency services
• Doctors
• Security services
• Courts

Do’s

• Be reasonable and co-operate so we can beat this virus
• Stay at home from 27 March to 16 April 2020.
• If you go out to acquire food, essential goods or while seeking medical attention avoid contact with others wherever possible and make your trip as short as possible.
• Obey all instructions by law enforcement officials.
• Continue to report incidents of Gender Based Violence to 0800 150 150.
• Continue to report all forms of crime to 10111.
• Find creative ways to keep yourself occupied while in lockdown.
• Use common sense and persuade others to do the same

Don’t

• Do anything irresponsible that would risk your life as well as that of others.
• Attempt to move between provinces, metropolitan and district areas.
• Attempt to procure liquor or travel with liquor during the lockdown.
• Attempt to renew your drivers licence during the lockdown.

• Attempt to visit public parks, swimming pools and beaches.

• Attempt to visit taverns, shebeens or shisanyamas.
• Venture outside your house in groups.

When is the lockdown taking place?

From 11:59 pm on Thursday, 26 March 11:59 pm on Thursday 16 April, all South Africans will have to stay at home, unless strictly for the purpose of performing an essential service, obtaining an essential good or service, collecting a social grant, or seeking emergency, life-saving, or chronic medical attention

When does the lockdown period begin?

The lockdown comes into effect at midnight on the night of 26th.  In other words, the evening of Thursday 26th, the morning of Friday 27th March.

Can a funeral take place?

Yes, funerals will be allowed to take place with the number of mourners restricted to 50. However, night vigils will be prohibited.

Can I travel to another province or district?

No, movement between provinces is prohibited; and movement between the metropolitan and district areas, is prohibited.

What happens to tourists who have flights confirmed after the lockdown date?

All international and domestic flights are prohibited during the lockdown period.

International tourists must inform their respective embassy’s that they are still in South Africa and are not allowed to leave their hotel or accommodation establishments until such time their departure from South Africa has been confirmed.

What special arrangements are being made for foreign travelers?

Will shops remain open?

Retail shops and shopping malls must be closed, except where essential goods are sold and on condition that the person in control of the said store must put in place controls to ensure that customers keep a distance of at least one square meter from each other, and that all directions in respect of hygienic conditions and the exposure of persons to COVID-19 are adhered to.

Retail stores selling essential goods is prohibited from selling any other goods.

Any place not involved in the provision of an essential good or service must remain closed to all persons for the duration of the lockdown.

Which goods are essential?

• Food
  (i) Any food product, including non-alcoholic beverages;
  (ii) Animal food; and
  (iii) Chemicals, packaging and ancillary products used in the production of any food product.
• Cleaning and Hygiene Products
  (i) Toilet Paper, sanitary pads, sanitary tampons, condoms;
  (ii) Hand sanitiser, disinfectants, soap, alcohol for industrial use, household cleaning products, and personal protective equipment; and
  (iii) Chemicals, packaging and ancillary products used in the production of any of the above.
• Medical:
  (i) Medical and Hospital Supplies, equipment and personal protective equipment; and
  (ii) Chemicals, packaging and ancillary products used in the production of any of the above.
• Fuel, including coal and gas
• Basic goods, including airtime and electricity.
• Products for care of babies and toddlers.
• Personal toiletries, including hair care, body and face wash, roll-ons, deodorants, toothpaste

Which services are essential?

Categories of essential services shall be confined to the following services:

1. Medical, Health (including Mental Health), Laboratory and Medical services;
2. Disaster Management, Fire Prevention, Fire Fighting and Emergency services;
3. Financial services necessary to maintain the functioning of the banking and payments environment, including the JSE and similar exchanges, as well as Insurance services;
4. Production and sale of the goods listed in category A, above;
5. Grocery stores, including spaza shops;
6. Electricity, water, gas and fuel production, supply and maintenance;
7. Critical jobs for essential government services as determined by Head of National or Provincial Departments in accordance with the guidance by the DPSA, including Social Grant Payments;
8. Birth and death certificates, and replacement identification documents;
9. Essential municipal services;
10. Care services and social relief of distress provided to older persons, mentally ill, persons with disabilities, the sick, and children;
11. Funeral services, including mortuaries;
12. Wildlife Management, Anti-poaching, Animal Care and Veterinary services;
13. Newspaper, broadcasting and telecommunication infrastructure and services;
14. Production and sale of any chemicals, hygiene products, pharmaceuticals for the medical or retail sector;
15. Cleaning, sanitation, sewerage, waste and refuse removal services;
16. Services related to the essential functioning of courts, judicial officers, the Master of the High Court, Sheriffs and legal practitioners required for those services;
17. Essential SARS services defined by the Commissioner of SARS;
18. Police, peace officers, traffic officers, military medical personnel and soldiers, correctional services officials and traffic management services;
19. Postal services and courier services related to transport of medical products;
20. Private security services;
21. Air-traffic Navigation, Civil Aviation Authority, Cargo Shipping and dockyard services;
22. Gold, gold refinery, coal and essential mining;
23. Accommodation used for persons rendering essential services, quarantine, isolation and the lockdown;
24. Production, manufacturing, supply, logistics, transport, delivery, critical maintenance and repair in relation to the rendering of essential services including components and equipment;
25. Transport services for persons rendering essential services and goods, and transportation of patients;
26. Services rendered by the Executive, members of Parliament, Members of the Provincial Legislature, Members of Local Councils, the Judiciary, traditional leaders and National Office Bearers. of Political Parties represented in Parliament;
27. Commissioners of the South African Human Rights Commission, Gender Commission, and the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities, and the Public Protector and Deputy Public Protector; and
28. Transport and logistics in respect of essential goods as set out in A above to neighbouring countries.
29. Tow trucks and vehicle recovery services;
30. Call centres necessary to provide health, safety, social support, government and financial services;
31. Harvesting and storage activities essential to prevent the wastage of primary agricultural goods;
32. Implementation of payroll systems to the extent that such an arrangement has not been made for the lockdown, to ensure timeous payments to workers; and
33. Critical maintenance services which cannot be delayed for more than 21 days, and are essential to resume operations after the lockdown.

What establishments can legally be open during the lockdown period?

During the lockdown period, the following categories of establishments can remain open:

Those providing accommodation for international tourists who must remain in their hotels and persons providing essential services to these hotels.
Those who have been approved by the Department of Health as appropriate quarantine facilities.
No other accommodation establishments may continue operating during the lockdown period.

Is Tourism classified as an essential service?

No, therefore will not be allowed to operate during lockdown period

Is the selling of liquor allowed?

No, the selling of liquor is strictly prohibited. This is applicable also to supermarkets with liquor licences. No liquor will be sold anywhere by anyone during the 21-day period of the lockdown. Equally, the movement of liquor between any two points is also strictly prohibited as per the COVID-19 Disaster Management Regulations.

Can I claim Unemployment Insurance?

As the Department of Employment and Labour, we are receiving concerns from workers and unions that some employers are seeking to shift the burden of the lockdown onto the workers, using their annual leave as the first line of response to the lockdown.

This despite the fact that we have said that the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) will fund and put in place systems to address the lay-offs during the lockdown in relation to workers registered for UIF.

It is important that all parties understand that the UIF cannot deal with millions of individual claims – this would lead to chaos. Rather we have put in place systems to pay out UIF benefits through companies, sectoral associations and bargaining councils. Indeed the Textile Bargaining Council has already concluded such an agreement with labour.

We need to stress that such arrangements require that we enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with employer bodies including that their use of the monies will be subject to audit. This has led to some resistance from some employers. They need to understand that these are public funds that by law have to be audited. None of us have a choice in the matter.

I urge all parties to get together and engage so that we can expedite the payment of these monies to the workers that need them. The UIF staff is available to assist in any way necessary. UIF Call Centre (012) 337 1997.

National Student Financial Aid Scheme Preventative Measures Against the Spread of COVID-19 

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) will be implementing safety and precautionary measures to combat Covid-19 epidemic as per national government directive by the South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, on Sunday, March 15, 2020. A follow-up briefing was held by various Department’s Ministers, including the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Dr Blade Nzimande outlining the impact, holistic measures and approach in support of the national plan. NSFAS has developed preventative measures to lower the risk of spreading the virus.

NSFAS is cognisant of the fact that students may be concerned that the current pandemic will affect the allocation of their funding. We can firmly confirm that NSFAS is implementing measures to ensure that payments and processing of applications is not affected. We will continue to focus on ensuring business continuity and adequate support for our stakeholders who require assistance during this time.

As from Tuesday 17 March, 2020 NSFAS staff members will be segmented into priority groups to lower human interaction at the NSFAS Wynberg (Cape Town) Head office, 50% of staff members will be required to report to the office and limit contact amongst each other. Although the NSFAS Contact Centre will be reducing the number of staff members the interaction on alternative platforms will be greatly strengthened.

Clients, students and applicants are encouraged to engage NSFAS on the online platforms prior to attempt to call the Contact Centre. The above strategy enables the organisation to continue the allocation of funding, protect staff members and their families, as well as the students.

The following alternative communication channels will be available from 08h30 to 17h00, Monday to Friday.

• NSFAS Connect via MyNSFAS account
• Email: info@nsfas.org.za
• Facebook: National Student Financial Aid Scheme
• Twitter: MyNSFAS
• Instagram: MyNSFAS

For the foreseeable future, NSFAS will also limit local travel for all NSFAS employees. Government and business stakeholders will preferably be contacted using alternative channels of engagement as and when required. We will continue to communicate with the public through our online platforms to provide the latest funding progress updates.

When are schools in South Africa closing?

In accordance with the pronouncement by the President on 15 March 2020, schools will be closed from 18 March 2020. Schools should resume on 14 April 2020; unless determined differently. Should this be the case communication will be sent to parents.

How will the lost school days be made up after reopening?

We are going to lose 10 school days as a result of the school closures. To compensate for lost days the June holidays will be cut short by a week. Once opened schools will be encouraged to extend tuition hours.

Which schools are affected by the President’s directive?

This directive is binding on all schools; public ordinary schools, independent schools and private.

What catch-up do you have for the Curriculum?

A number of steps are being taken to ensure that education is not compromised. Each province, district, circuit and school must have a practical and comprehensive catch-up plan to be implemented.

• Schools have been urged to give learners work they can do at home with the supervision of parents.
• Schools are also encouraged to give learners workbooks and worksheets to be used to keep learners active in curriculum-based initiatives.
• Parents must play their part in the education of their children.
• The school enrichment programmes will also be affected by the arrangements. The Department of Basic Education will this week provide guidelines on how the school enrichment programmes are going to be managed because we want to ensure that those in matric, in particular, are not disadvantaged.

Basic Education postpones May/June exam rewrites due to Coronavirus COVID-19

Statement on Health Care Workers that have Acquired COVID-19

The mortality rate amongst health care workers is 0,9%

The number of health care workers reported to have recovered as at 4 August 2020 is 16 005, which translates to a 58% recovery rate amongst health care workers.

The Provincial Breakdown is as follows:

In addition, we have been provided with a snapshot of active cases amongst health care workers as at 7 August 2020. On this day we registered 7500 active cases of which 751 (10%) were being hospitalized, 6 557 (87%) were in self isolation and 192 (3%) were being isolated in a facility.

We wish all health care workers currently battling COVID-19 a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming them back to the workforce when they are fully recovered.

Dr. Zwelini Mkhize
Minister of Health
ENDS…

From the Desk of the President (20th July 2020)

Appeal to South African Citizens from the Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize

Appeal to South African Citizens from the Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize

As Government, we have mobilized every resource, every faculty and wherewithal at our disposal to effect the necessary interventions. But government cannot manage this unilaterally. Every single South African now needs to focus on adhering to recommendations pertaining to non-pharmaceutical interventions.

We are extremely concerned that fatigue seems to have set in and South Africans are letting down their guard at a time when the spread of infection is surging. We see poor or no social distancing in communities. Masks are being abandoned or not worn properly and there is laxity setting in around frequent hand-washing.

This will directly influence the rise in numbers in the next two weeks. We must all appreciate that there is a direct causal link between the surge of cases and our ability, or inability, to adhere to these very basic principles.

We do not have a vaccine. We do not have a cure. Our ability to break the cycle of infection depends on our willingness to remain focused and disciplined and take non-pharmaceutical interventions seriously. We can beat this pandemic together. We have already proved this during the lockdown. It remains in each and every citizen’s hands to admonish family members,  colleagues, friends. who refuse to adhere to measures that protect lives by limiting the spread of this virus.

From The Desk of the President – Monday, 13 July 2020

Dear Fellow South African,

Last night, I addressed the nation on the state of the coronavirus pandemic in our country. What follows is an edited version of that address:

Our nation is confronted by the gravest crisis in the history of our democracy. For more than 120 days, we have succeeded in delaying the spread of a virus that is causing devastation across the globe.

But now, the surge in infections that we had been advised by our medical experts would come, has arrived. More than a quarter of a million South Africans have been infected with coronavirus, and we know that many more infections have gone undetected. We are now recording over 12,000 new cases every day.

Since the start of the outbreak in March, at least 4,079 people have died from COVID-19. What should concern us most is that a quarter of those who died passed away in the last week.

Like the massive cold fronts that sweep into our country from the South Atlantic at this time of year, there are few parts of the country that will remain untouched by the coronavirus. The coronavirus storm is far fiercer and more destructive than any we have known before. It is stretching our resources and our resolve to their limits.

The surge of infections that our experts and scientists predicted over 3 months ago has now arrived. It started in the Western Cape and is now underway in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng.

Yet, while infections rise exponentially, it is important to note that our case fatality rate of 1.5% is among the lowest in the world. This is compared to a global average case fatality rate of 4.4%. We owe the relatively low number of deaths in our country to the experience and dedication of our health professionals and the urgent measures we have taken to build the capacity of our health system.

Even as most of our people have taken action to prevent the spread of the virus, there are others who have not. There are some among us who ignore the regulations that have been passed to combat the disease.

In the midst of such a pandemic, getting into a taxi without a face mask, gathering to meet friends, attending parties or even visiting family, can too easily spread the virus and cost lives.This may be a disease that is caused by a virus, but it is spread by human conduct and behaviour.

Through our own actions – as individuals, as families, as communities – we can and we must change the course of this pandemic in our country. We need to wear a cloth mask that covers our nose and mouth whenever we leave home. We must continue to regularly wash our hands with soap and water or sanitiser. We must continue to clean and sanitise all surfaces in all public spaces. Most importantly, we must keep a safe distance – of at least 2 metres – from other people.

There is now emerging evidence that the virus may also be carried in tiny particles in the air in places that are crowded, closed or have poor air circulation. For this reason we must immediately improve the indoor environment of public places where the risk of infection is greatest.

Our decision to declare a nation-wide lockdown prevented a massive early surge of infections when our health services were less prepared, which would have resulted in a far greater loss of lives.

In the time that we had, we have taken important measures to strengthen our health response. We have conducted more than two million coronavirus tests and community health workers have done more than 20 million screenings.

We have made available almost 28,000 hospital beds for COVID-19 patients and have constructed functional field hospitals across the country. We now have over 37,000 quarantine beds in private and public facilities across the country, ready to isolate those who cannot do so at home.

We have procured and delivered millions of items of personal protective equipment to hospitals, clinics and schools across the country to protect our frontline workers. We have recruited and continue to recruit additional nurses, doctors and emergency health personnel.

We continue to make progress in our efforts to deal with COVID 19, but our greatest challenge still lies ahead. Across all provinces, we are working to further increase the number of general ward and critical beds available for COVID-19 patients.

Ward capacity is being freed up in a number of hospitals by delaying non-urgent care, the conversion of some areas of hospitals into additional ward space and the erection or expansion of field hospitals.

We are working to increase supplies of oxygen, ventilators and other equipment for those who will need critical care, including by diverting the supply of oxygen from other purposes. We are deploying digital technologies to strengthen the identification, tracing and isolation of contacts, and to provide support to those who test positive.

As we now approach the peak of infections, we need to take extra precautions and tighten existing measures to slow down the rate of transmission.

Regulations on the wearing of masks will be strengthened. Employers, shop owners and managers, public transport operators, and managers and owners of any other public building are now legally obliged to ensure that anyone entering their premises or vehicle must be wearing a mask.

Taxis undertaking local trips will now be permitted to increase their capacity to 100%, while long distance taxis will not be allowed to exceed 70% occupancy, on condition that new risk mitigation protocols related to masks, vehicle sanitising and open windows are followed.

There is now clear evidence that the resumption of alcohol sales has resulted in substantial pressure being put on hospitals, including trauma and ICU units, due to motor vehicle accidents, violence and related trauma. We have therefore decided that in order to conserve hospital capacity, the sale, dispensing and distribution of alcohol will be suspended with immediate effect.

As an additional measure to reduce the pressure on hospitals, a curfew will be put in place between the hours of 9pm and 4am.

We are taking these measures fully aware that they impose unwelcome restrictions on people’s lives. They are, however, necessary to see us through the peak of the disease.

There is no way that we can avoid the coronavirus storm. But we can limit the damage that it can cause to our lives. As a nation we have come together to support each other, to provide comfort to those who are ill and to promote acceptance of people living with the virus.

Now, more than ever, we are responsible for the lives of those around us.

We will weather this storm. We will restore our country to health and to prosperity. We shall overcome.

With best wishes,

Disaster Management Act: Amendment of regulations: Coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown

click here to download

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA ON PROGRESS IN THE NATIONAL EFFORT TO CONTAIN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC (12th July 2020)

My Fellow South Africans,

This evening, as I stand here before you, our nation is confronted by the gravest crisis in the history of our democracy.

For more than 120 days, we have succeeded in delaying the spread of a virus that is causing devastation across the globe.

We delayed the spread of the virus by working together and by maintaining our resolve.

But now, the surge in infections that we had been advised by our medical experts would come, has arrived.

The storm is upon us.

More than a quarter of a million South Africans have been infected with coronavirus, and we know that many more infections have gone undetected.

As of this evening, there are 276,242 confirmed cases in the country.

We are now recording over 12,000 new cases every day.

That is the equivalent of 500 new infections every hour

Since the start of the outbreak in March, at least 4,079 people have died from COVID-19.

What should concern us most is that a quarter of those who died passed away in the last week.

We mourn the loss of each and every one of them, including some who have been in leadership positions in our country, such as Queen Noloyiso Sandile of the AmaRharhabe and North West MEC Gordon Kegakilwe.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all their families at this time of extraordinary grief.

We extend our best wishes for a speedy recovery to three of our premiers who have been tested positive for coronavirus – Premier Alan Winde, Premier David Makhura and Premier Job Mokgoro.

As a country, we are not alone in our fight against coronavirus.

Most other countries around the world are engaged in the same struggle as we are.

More than half a million people have died from COVID-19 across the world, and the total number of confirmed cases across the world has grown rapidly to more than 12.7 million.

While the surge in infections has been expected, the force and the speed with which it has progressed has, quite understandably, caused great concern.

Many of us are fearful of the danger this presents for ourselves, and for our families.

Like the massive cold fronts that sweep into our country from the South Atlantic at this time of year, there are few parts of the country that will remain untouched by the coronavirus.

The coronavirus storm is far fiercer and more destructive than any we have known before.

It is stretching our resources and our resolve to their limits.

The surge of infections that our experts and scientists predicted over 3 months ago has now arrived. It started in the Western Cape and is now underway in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng.

Gauteng is fast approaching 100,000 confirmed cases.

The Eastern Cape has passed 50,000 cases, and although the rate of transmission has slowed in the Western Cape, it will soon have 80,000 cases.

According to current projections, each of our provinces will reach the peak of infections at different times between the end of July and late September.

Yet, while infections rise exponentially, it is important to note that our case fatality rate of 1.5% is among the lowest in the world.

This is compared to a global average case fatality rate of 4.4%.

We owe the relatively low number of deaths in our country to the experience and dedication of our health professionals and the urgent measures we have taken to build the capacity of our health system which faced a number of its own inherent challenges before COVID 19.

We must remember that the most important measure of success is the number of lives we save.

More than 134,000 South Africans have recovered from the coronavirus.

Many of those who have recovered took personal responsibility for their health and the health of others, by self-isolating or presenting to quarantine themselves facilities.

Even as most of our people have taken action to prevent the spread of the virus, there are others who have not.

There are some among us who ignore the regulations that have been passed to combat the disease. They also act without any responsibility to respect and protect each other.

In the midst of our national effort to fight against this virus there are a number of people who have taken to organising parties, who have drinking sprees, and some who walk around in crowded spaces without masks.

Then there are some of our people who see no problem attending funerals where the number of people in attendance exceed the number of 50 that has been set out in regulations.

In some cases some people go to funerals where more than 1,000 people are in attendance.

This is how the virus is spread – through carelessness and through recklessness.

It is concerning that many are downplaying the seriousness of the virus, despite all evidence to the contrary and what we have cautioned on numerous occasions.

We now know of several tragic instances where people who have organised or attended social gatherings, including gatherings with family, have contracted the virus and have died.

In the midst of such a pandemic, getting into a taxi without a face mask, gathering to meet friends, attending parties or even visiting family, can too easily spread the virus and cost lives.

This may be a disease that is caused by a virus, but it is spread by human conduct and behaviour.

We are in the midst of a deadly pandemic and we must act accordingly, in line with the prevention measures we continue to communicate.

We are all required to be responsible, careful and compassionate.

The truth is that we are not helpless in the face of this storm.

Scientists and other scenario planners have presented us with models that project that South Africa may have between 40,000 and 50,000 deaths before the end of this year.

We must make it our single most important task to prove these projections wrong.

Through our own actions – as individuals, as families, as communities – we can and we must change the course of this pandemic in our country.

We are by now all familiar with what we need to do to protect ourselves and others from infection.

We need to wear a cloth mask that covers our nose and mouth whenever we leave home.

We must continue to regularly wash our hands with soap and water or sanitiser.

We must continue to clean and sanitise all surfaces in all public spaces.

Most importantly, we must keep a safe distance – of at least 2 metres – from other people.

There is now emerging evidence that the virus may also be carried in tiny particles in the air in places that are crowded, closed or have poor air circulation.

For this reason we must immediately improve the indoor environment of public places where the risk of infection is greatest.

We must increase natural ventilation, avoid the recirculation of air and minimise the number of people sharing the same space.

We must do this in all heath care facilities, nursing homes, shops, offices, workplaces, schools, restaurants and public transport.

We have the power within ourselves, working with each other, to limit the damage that this virus does to our people, our society and our economy.

As we confront the rapid rise in infections, as we ready ourselves for the difficult days, weeks and months that lie ahead, we need to remind ourselves of the absolute necessity of the measures we have taken.

On the advice of health scientists and experts, our decision to declare a nation-wide lockdown prevented a massive early surge of infections when our health services were less prepared, which would have resulted in a far greater loss of lives.

We knew that we could not escape the virus, but that we needed to delay its spread for as long as possible.

In the time that we had, we have taken important measures to strengthen our health response.

We have conducted more than two million coronavirus tests and community health workers have done more than 20 million screenings.

We have made available almost 28,000 hospital beds for COVID-19 patients and have constructed functional field hospitals across the country.

We now have over 37,000 quarantine beds in private and public facilities across the country, ready to isolate those who cannot do so at home.

We have secured 1,700 additional ventilators, and companies in South Africa are in the process of producing another 12,000 ventilation devices for delivery between the end of July and the end of August.

We have procured and delivered millions of items of personal protective equipment to hospitals, clinics and schools across the country to protect our frontline workers.

We have recruited and continue to recruit additional nurses, doctors and emergency health personnel.

We still have a serious shortage of more than 12,000 health workers, mostly nurses, doctors and physiotherapists.

Thanks to the contributions by business and individuals, the Solidarity Fund has invested R1.9 billion in our health response, providing personal protective equipment and other supplies for our health facilities.

It is generally known that the ultimate defence the world could have against coronavirus would be a cure or a vaccine.

A vaccine against this virus does not exist.

South Africa has joined, and is playing an important role in, the global effort to develop vaccines and medicines to treat COVID-19.

Our country has an established vaccine manufacturing capability and expertise in the development and trial of a range of vaccines.

We continue to make progress in our efforts to deal with COVID 19, but our greatest challenge still lies ahead.

Health facilities in several provinces are already under significant strain.

We have heard of instances where people who are infected have been turned away from health facilities due to a lack of beds or essential supplies.

This is deeply worrying.

It means we have to move with even greater urgency to strengthen our strategy to manage the peak of infections.

We are focusing on a number of priority actions in the coming weeks.

Across all provinces, we are working to further increase the number of general ward and critical beds available for COVID-19 patients. This must be done.

Ward capacity is being freed up in a number of hospitals by delaying non-urgent care, the conversion of some areas of hospitals into additional ward space and the erection or expansion of field hospitals.

We are working to increase supplies of oxygen, ventilators and other equipment for those who will need critical care, including by diverting the supply of oxygen from other purposes.

Due to the lack of critical care facilities in rural areas, measures are being put in place to refer patients to better-equipped urban centres.

To deal with shortages of health personnel in some areas, we are employing more doctors and nurses and negotiating with health science faculties to deploy volunteers to provide medical, nursing, physiotherapy, pharmacy and general patient support.

I have been extremely proud to see medical students volunteering at hospitals and clinics, exemplifying the highest values of the medical profession.

I commend them for their unwavering patriotism and commitment to public service.

We are working to reduce the turnaround time for testing to no more than 48 hours.

We are introducing antibody testing for community-based surveillance to estimate the population that has been infected with this virus.

These actions together represent an extraordinary mobilisation of effort and resources.

But it is not only the health system that needs to be strengthened.

This moment of crisis requires that we mobilise society on a massive scale to confront this pandemic.

We are working with traditional leaders, religious formations, civil society organisations, business associations, unions and other bodies to spread the message about prevention and care.

We need to follow the example of communities that have set up ‘coronavirus forums’ at a ward level to get residents involved in fighting this disease.

As government, we are deploying Ministers and Deputy Ministers to every district in the country to ensure that the local response receives the support that it needs.

They will also be initiating gender-based violence prevention programmes at district level.

A vital part of our strategy to contain the spread of the virus is to identify those people who are infected, to identify those people they have been in close contact with, and ensure that they immediately isolate themselves from others.

We know there are some people who are reluctant to isolate themselves – either at home or in government facilities – but it is essential that we do so if we are to break the chain of transmission.

Social workers need to work with them to help them secure their homes when they are quarantined.

We are deploying digital technologies to strengthen the identification, tracing and isolation of contacts, and to provide support to those who test positive.

In several provinces, those who take a coronavirus test can now receive their result via WhatsApp and provide details of their contacts through this platform.

By responding to messages from the Department of Health and providing this information, you can help to stop the virus from spreading further.

By providing a correct cell phone number and personal details when you test for the coronavirus, you can make the task of our healthcare workers easier.

If you have been in close contact with anyone who has tested positive for the coronavirus, you must self-quarantine at home or in a place of quarantine.

Similarly, you need to remain at home or in a place of quarantine while you are waiting for a test result to ensure that you do not transmit the virus without knowing it.

If you test positive for coronavirus and have diabetes or hypertension and you are short of breath, seek care at a hospital immediately.

This is the practical action we can and should take to protect those around us.

It is precisely this consideration and care towards others that will save lives.

In the light of the increased rate of infection, the National Coronavirus Command Council and Cabinet have considered returning all or parts of the country to a higher alert level, either to level 4 or level 5.

The advice we have received is that taking this step now would not necessarily achieve a significant reduction in the rate of transmission and would come at an extraordinary economic cost, putting more livelihoods at risk and potentially causing long-lasting social harm.

As we now approach the peak of infections, we need to take extra precautions and tighten existing measures to slow down the rate of transmission.

On the recommendation of the National Coronavirus Command Council, Cabinet has therefore decided that the country will remain at alert level 3 at this time, but that we should however strengthen the enforcement of existing regulations and take certain additional measures.

In order to reduce the rate of transmission, we had earlier said that the wearing of cloth masks will be mandatory.

While many South Africans are wearing masks, there are however some among us who are not wearing masks when in public.

It is therefore important that we should enforce the wearing of masks.

Regulations on the wearing of masks will be strengthened.

Employers, shop owners and managers, public transport operators, and managers and owners of any other public building are now legally obliged to ensure that anyone entering their premises or vehicle must be wearing a mask.

All workplaces and all institutions need to ensure that there is a designated coronavirus official responsible for making sure that all regulations and all precautions are strictly adhered to.

Taxis undertaking local trips will now be permitted to increase their capacity to 100%, while long distance taxis will not be allowed to exceed 70% occupancy, on condition that new risk mitigation protocols related to masks, vehicle sanitising and open windows are followed.

As we head towards the peak of infections, it is vital that we do not burden our clinics and hospitals with alcohol-related injuries that could have been avoided.

This is a fight to save every life, and we need to save every bed.

We have therefore decided that in order to conserve hospital capacity, the sale, dispensing and distribution of alcohol will be suspended with immediate effect.

There is now clear evidence that the resumption of alcohol sales has resulted in substantial pressure being put on hospitals, including trauma and ICU units, due to motor vehicle accidents, violence and related trauma.

Most of these and other trauma injuries occur at night.

Therefore, as an additional measures to reduce the pressure on hospitals, a curfew will be put in place between the hours of 9pm and 4am.

Apart from people who need to travel to and from work or who need to seek urgent medical or other assistance during this time, everyone will be required to remain at home.

The curfew will take effect from tomorrow, Monday, 13 July 2020 at 9pm.

We are taking these measures fully aware that they impose unwelcome restrictions on people’s lives.

They are, however, necessary to see us through the peak of the disease.

At the same time, we have decided to ease restrictions on activities that pose a lower risk of infection and are important for economic or educational purposes.

As part of resuming economic activity, all auctions will be permitted subject to protocols similar to those that currently apply to agricultural auctions.

Parks will be open for exercise, but not for any form of gathering.

After careful consideration of expert advice, there are still some activities that present too much of a risk to permit at this stage.

For this reason, family visits and other social activities will unfortunately not be allowed for now.

I know that this places a great burden on families and individuals and can cause great emotional strain, especially for those with elderly parents.

It goes against our very nature as social beings, but it is a hardship that we must endure for that much longer to protect those we love and care for from this disease.

To ensure that we have the means to continue to respond effectively to this severe health emergency, Cabinet has approved the extension of the national state of disaster to the 15^th of August 2020.

There is no way that we can avoid the coronavirus storm.

But we can limit the damage that it can cause to our lives.

As a nation we have come together to support each other, to provide comfort to those who are ill and to promote acceptance of people living with the virus.

I have been encouraged by the COVID-19 support groups that have been started online where people can share their experiences and give encouragement, and by the work of religious bodies, community groups and traditional leaders to support people in areas across the country.

This is an important part of breaking the stigma around the virus and motivates those who are ill to seek care and not live in fear of victimisation.

I wish to pay tribute to the many thousands of people who are on the frontline of our fight against coronavirus.

These are the nurses, doctors and other health workers who are working tirelessly to save lives; the police, soldiers and traffic officials who are responsible for our safety; the essential service workers who have been keeping our country functioning; the religious leaders who have provided comfort and guidance; and the media workers who have kept the country informed.

We remember those frontline workers who have lost their lives to COVID-19.

We grieve with their families, hopeful that they may find some comfort in the support and gratitude of those that they so selflessly served.

The difficulty, struggle and sacrifice of the past few months are about to get significantly harder and our endurance will be sorely tested.

But if there is one thing we have learned over the past few months, it is that South Africans remain united in the face of a common threat.

We have stood for each other and stood by each other.

Let us firm the hand of solidarity we have extended to the vulnerable and the destitute.

Let us lay the foundation for National Health Insurance so that all people have access to the quality health care they need regardless of their ability to pay.

As we work together to preserve life, we must begin to rebuild our economy and deepen measures to protect those whose livelihoods have been so badly impacted by the lockdown.

The days, weeks and months to come will present some of the greatest tests of our nationhood.

Let us remember that we share a collective responsibility to bring down the rate of infections.

Let us remember that every individual action we undertake can and does make a difference.

Let us remember that whether we are a family with an infected member, a business owner worried for their staff or a parent concerned for the safety of their children, that none of us stands alone.

Now, more than ever, we are responsible for the lives of those around us.

We will weather this storm.

We will restore our country to health and to prosperity.

We shall overcome.

I thank you.

Amended Health Guidelines on Death Management during COVID19

Disaster Management Act: Directions: Measures to address, prevent and combat the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 in the health sector

click here to download

From the Desk of the President (06th July 2020)

President Cyril Ramaphosa interacts virtually with communities on Coronavirus COVID-19, 1 Jul

President Cyril Ramaphosa interacts virtually with communities on Coronavirus COVID-19, 1 Jul

Case management in the context of a South African COVID-19 surge

Case management in the context of a South African COVID-19 surge

From the Desk of the President (29th June 2020)

From the Desk of the President (29th June 2020)

Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma gazettes amendment of Coronavirus COVID-19 Alert Level 3 regulations

Gazette of amendment of regulations issued in terms of section 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, designated under section 3 of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002), signed and gazetted an amendment to the regulations for the advanced COVID-19 Alert Level 3 Lockdown.

The regulations are amended and gazetted after the declaration of a national state of disaster, published in Government Gazette No. 43096 of 15 March 2020, and extended by Government Notice No. R. 646 of 5 June 2020, hereby in terms of section 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002.

The regulations were  gazetted by the Minister after consultation with other Cabinet members. The amendments expand the sectors that are permitted under level 3, regulation 33 has been updated to allow movement for the purpose of provision and procuring the services permitted in these regulations. Under these amendments, cinemas, restaurants, theatres and casinos may operate subject to the strict adherence to all health protocols and social distancing measures and following the directions to be issued by the responsible Minister, after consultation with the Minister of Health.

The amendments are issued in line with the President’s message that government is implementing the Risk Adjusted Strategy model in order to balance the overriding objective of saving lives and protecting livelihoods. The Minister urges South Africans to continue to exercise caution and protect themselves and others from avoidable exposure to COVID-19 infection.

The amended regulations are  published on the following websites: www.gov.za and www.cogta.gov.za.

Click here to download a PDF version of the Alert Level 3 Regulations

From the Desk of the President (22nd June 2020)

Dear Fellow South African,

More than 100 days after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in South Africa and after two months of a nation-wide lockdown, our economy is in the throes of the anticipated fallout from this global crisis. The predictions of businesses shutting down and jobs being lost are materialising.

Last week a number of companies announced plans to retrench staff. From aviation to construction, from entertainment and leisure to hospitality, companies have indicated their intention to retrench staff because of heavy losses incurred over the past three months. In other cases, businesses are closing permanently. Small businesses whose turnover has been wiped out will be even harder hit.

As a country, we have all been keenly aware of the consequences of shutting down economic activity during the lockdown that was absolutely critical to save the lives of our people.

South Africa is not alone. In Italy, the UK, the US, Germany, India, China and nearly every country that had imposed some form of lockdown, jobs have been lost or hours of workers reduced. It is being spoken of as a ‘job loss tsunami’.

In April the International Labour Organisation forecast there would be around 305 million job losses worldwide. The situation of workers in the informal economy is even worse, with an estimated 1.6 billion workers in danger of losing their livelihoods.

For a country such as ours, which was already facing an unemployment crisis and weak economic growth, difficult decisions and difficult days lie ahead. We would urge that the difficult decisions to be taken are taken with care and with due regard to balancing the sustainability of companies and the livelihoods of workers. It is important that whatever is done is underpinned by ensuring a just transition to all concerned.

The measures we put in place to protect local businesses during the lockdown in the form of loans, tax relief, debt restructuring, extended credit lines and retail rental exemptions are continuing to provide vital support. Temporary social assistance to poor households is gathering pace and providing vital relief. However, these measures can only go so far.

This week the Minister of Finance will table a revised national budget in Parliament. Revenue has plummeted and difficult decisions will be made in the coming weeks and months as we seek to reprioritise our programmes, manage public spending and scale back on projects where necessary.

The economic hardship that has been forced on a number of companies in the private sector will be forced on a number of entities in the public sector as well. The government, business, labour and civil society will have to deepen their collaboration as never before in driving the national recovery effort.

As more economic activity resumes, struggling businesses will be ‘playing catch-up’ to recoup lost productivity and revenue for some time to come. As much as we seek to protect current jobs, we also need to create new ones, and attract new, greater levels of investment. It is imperative that we open avenues for self-employment and entrepreneurship, especially for young people.

In the past two years the business community has made commitments to invest in various businesses in our country. It is our hope that our business community and international investors will honour the investment commitments made in a number of forums such as the South Africa Investment Conference.

Coronavirus has resulted in companies around the world re-evaluating their investment and expansion plans, and we must anticipate that some of these commitments may be scaled back and even cancelled. South Africa still has great investment opportunities and assets to invest in.

We remain optimistic that as we gradually return to normalcy, and as we forge ahead with the economic reform measures embarked upon earlier this year, that the growing investment levels we were seeing before coronavirus hit will slowly but surely return.

The announcement last week by Amazon that it is on a drive to hire up to 3,000 South Africans for a variety of positions is a welcome signal, as is the announcement that a local energy storage company Metair has secured a number of contracts from the Ford Motor Company, and that the pan-African cloud and data solutions entity Africa Data Centres has acquired a hi-tech data centre in Johannesburg.

Tomorrow the inaugural Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium of South Africa will take place. A number of catalytic infrastructure projects in water, transportation, energy, digital infrastructure, human settlements and agriculture will be showcased. Project sponsorship has been sought from the private sector, multilateral development banks, development finance institutions, asset managers and commercial banks.

Through the delivery of sustainable and fit-for-purpose infrastructure we are able to meet our developmental aspirations and revive economic activity, while also creating jobs at scale at a time when they are needed most.

This infrastructure investment forms an integral part of our recovery effort. This will be bolstered by the reduction of interest rates by the South African Reserve Bank, support extended to businesses during the pandemic and regulatory relief for the financial sector, among others.

The job creation efforts we began in early 2020, such as the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, and the existing ones such as the Expanded Public Works Programme and Community Works Programme, will be scaled up. The job-creation initiatives and programmes the private sector began before coronavirus must resume, and new ones should be designed and implemented.

There are tough times ahead. There are no quick-fixes and we have to be realistic about our prospects, especially about the time it will take for our economy to recover. Even the advanced economies will contract substantially because of COVID-19 and it will take a long time for economic output to return to pre-pandemic levels.

At the same time we remain optimistic.

We will keep trying, because we understand that despite the hardship it has caused, the lockdown was necessary and has saved lives. No price can be put on human life.

Let us put shoulder to the wheel and turn this adversity into opportunity. Let us reimagine and repurpose our economy and put it firmly on a solid and sustainable path.

With best wishes,

Follow Up Statement on Dexamethasone by the Minister of Health

Follow Up Statement on Dexamethasone by the Minister of Health

President Cyril Ramaphosa: South Africa’s response to the COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic

President Cyril Ramaphosa: South Africa’s response to the COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic

From the Desk of the President (8th June 2020)

From the Desk of the President (8th June 2020)

Minister Zwelini Mkhize Notes to Media Eastern Cape Coronavirus Response

Minister Zwelini Mkhize Notes to Media Eastern Cape Coronavirus Response

From the Desk of the President (1st June 2020)

From the Desk of the President (1st June 2020)

Minister Thulas Nxesi: Economic Cluster Media Briefing on Coronavirus COVID-19 Alert Level 3

Minister Thulas Nxesi: Economic Cluster Media Briefing on Coronavirus COVID-19 Alert Level 3

Health on determination of alert levels for Coronavirus Covid-19 hotspots

Health on the determination of alert levels for Coronavirus Covid-19 hotspots

Statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Call for a Day of Prayer

Statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Call for a Day of Prayer

COVID-19 IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY

COVID-19 IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY

President Cyril Ramaphosa: Developments in South Africa’s risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19

President Cyril Ramaphosa: Developments in South Africa’s risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19

HEALTH MINISTER’S STATEMENT ON PROF GLENDA GRAY’S PUBLIC ATTACK OF GOVERNMENT BASED ON INACCURATE INFORMATION

In the past week, my office has been inundated with media requests for comments regarding Prof Glenda Gray’s public utterances on government’s decision relating to the lockdown.

The article referred to has some of the utterances that have been directly attributed to Prof Gray, as follows:

• “We are seeing children with malnutrition for the first time (at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital). We have not seen malnutrition for decades and so we are seeing it for the first time in the hospital”
• “…but the de-escalation, month on month, to various levels is nonsensical and unscientific.
• “We believe, as scientists, that we give and are giving the government good advice and why they decided not to take the advice or engage readily with the scientists is unknown. Why have experts if you don’t care what they think?”
• “This strategy is not based on science and is completely unmeasured. Its almost as if someone is sucking regulations out of their thumb and implementing rubbish, quite frankly.”
• “We punish children and kick them out of school and we deny them education. For what? Where is the scientific evidence for that?”

For the benefit of the public, it is important to mention that the Ministerial Advisory Committees are not unusual within the Department of Health. The National Health Act makes provision that advisory or technical committees may be appointed as may be necessary to achieve the health objectives as provided for in the Act and its Regulations.

As it stands, the Department continues to benefit from experts who are specialised in various fields of health through their participation in different Ministerial Advisory Committees. To illustrate this point, these are some of the committees that are in place: the Ministerial Advisory Group on Immunisation, the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Organ Transplant, the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Health Pricing, the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Prevention and Control of Cancer and the Ministerial Advisory Committee on NHI.

Over the years, the role of the advisory committees has proven to be useful in providing support to the Health Ministry by offering advice on various matters in line with their terms of reference. These advices are presented to the Minister who considers them. Thereafter the Minister may elect to engage other stakeholders or departmental officials on such advice for further research or input. This advice is then accepted or rejected based on the holistic view that the Minister will consider as the Member of the Executive responsible for Health.

This has not been any different with the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19. This committee was appointed on the 26th March 2020. The terms of reference are very specific: “the MAC on COVID-19 is an advisory committee and does not have delegated powers to act on behalf of, or to commit the Minister or Government to any actions”. They further state that “each member will act with the highest professional and ethical standard at all times”.

It is important to highlight that to date, the MAC on COVID-19 has provided the Ministry of Health with 50 (fifty) advisories. Also, all these advisories presented have all been accepted. The Minister has utilised these in the implementation of the Department of Health’s response to COVID-19. These advisories have also been included in presentations to various stakeholders and more importantly, the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC), chaired by President Ramaphosa. Throughout this period, the NCCC has welcomed these presentations. In fact, the President has consistently acknowledged and commended the scientific data made available by the Department of Health through the MAC. This data is taken into account as part of broader consultations and inputs from other departments, different provinces and various stakeholders including business and labour.

I have seen it fit to give this detailed background in order to highlight that at no point has the Department of Health or Government as a whole ignored and not responded to the advice of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19. The statement made by Prof Glenda Gray is at the least devoid of the truth. Having read the article, I have been taken aback by the obvious inaccuracies it contains which have in my view, caused unnecessary sensationalism and doubt on the work and effort of the government in dealing with COVID-19.

We will keep emphasizing this, as government we do not claim to have it all figured out when it comes to COVID-19. No country does. The President has constantly and correctly stated that we are in unchartered waters. But we are committed to doing everything in our powers to protect the lives of our citizens.

I must pause to mention that I have also been stunned by media queries on why I appointed Prof Abdool Karim as Chairperson of the COVID-19 and “sidelined” Prof Glenda Gray. Save to state the obvious that such appointments are a prerogative of the Minister, I find such a question disingenuous as there is nothing that disqualifies Prof Abdool Karim to chair this MAC. In this regard, I continue to urge members of the media that during this period we must be made to respond to issues of substance and not matters that seem to want to sow division within the COVID-19 MAC and cause mischief.

It is therefore important to publicly place on record that Prof Glenda Gray made factually incorrect and unfounded statements:

1.

• FALSE: “We are seeing children with malnutrition for the first time (at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital). We have not seen malnutrition for decades and so we are seeing it for the first time in the hospital”
• FACTS / RESPONSE: There has been a reduction in the number of cases of malnutrition that have been seen at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital POPD and the total admissions during the month of March and April 2020, when compared to the previous 4 years. To illustrate this, in April 2019 there were 2885 patients seen and 500 admissions. However, in April 2020 there were 834 patients seen and 146 admissions. I have been advised by the Department’s officials that at a subsequent COVID-19 MAC meeting, Prof Velaphi, the Head of Paediatrics at the hospital, raised this concern and asked why Prof Gray would mislead the public by giving inaccurate information. In response, Prof Gray merely stated that she had relied on what she had heard from “other colleagues”. However, these colleagues were not disclosed. This emphasizes the warning we have been to the media and public not to just rely on anecdotal evidence. This ends up causing unnecessary anxiety to our citizens.

2.

• FALSE: “We believe, as scientists, that we give and are giving the government good advice and why they decided not to take the advice or engage readily with the scientists is unknown. Why have experts if you don’t care what they think?”
• FACTS / RESPONSE: Since the establishment of the MAC, 50 advisories have been given to the Minister of Health, all of which have been accepted. Ironically, last week Prof Gray, as Chairperson of the Research Subcommittee was part of the team that was preparing an advisory to the Ministry of Health in relation to the lockdown. This advisory had not been submitted to the Minister of Health when Prof Gray elected to speak to the media. There was a platform that had been created but this was overlooked even before making input through the Department of Health channels. She elected to do so through the media.

• FALSE: “This strategy is not based on science and is completely unmeasured. It’s almost as if someone is sucking regulations out of their thumb and implementing rubbish, quite frankly.”
• FACTS / RESPONSE: There are existing structures in government that have taken into account various factors, including scientific, socio economic, etc. The comment that government thumb sucks its decision not only undermines the joint work and effort that the NCCC, cabinet and government as a whole has been engaged in. But it is also unprofessional and unbecoming conduct from a member of the MAC who has direct access to the Ministry and the Department. In my view it undermines and brings into disrepute the institution that Prof. Gray works for which is an entity of the Department of Health, the MRC.
• FALSE: “We punish children and kick them out of school and we deny them education. For what? Where is the scientific evidence for that?”
• FACTS/RESPONSE: The Department of Basic Education has been engaged in various consultations with its stakeholders on the correct approach to take in the process of opening schools. The Minister has also presented the Department’s strategy in the correct forums and is exercising her executive powers based on information and evidence before her to recommend to government on how to proceed. It can never be Prof Gray’s place to make such comments without being aware of the details, the advice and the process the Department of Basic education has followed.

Divergent views by scientists are healthy and welcome. The MAC provides this platform for robust engagement of these top scientists who are leaders of various respectable institutions and organisations.

However I must urge all those who are contributing to the thought process and science behind the decisions ultimately undertaken by Government to desist from potentially destructive behaviour and continue to engage constructively with Government as they are mandated.

As head of the Medical Research Council, Prof. Gray has access to the Minister and the Department but never once raised this matter directly with ourselves, yet she has never failed to raise other issues of concern beforehand.

It must be understood that regulations are influenced by inputs from the public and her views would have been considered had she made submission in a normal way when public comments were called for. It is exactly for this reason that government has been bold enough to even make amendments to some regulations based on public inputs. However, Prof Glenda Gray chose not to use this platform.

We may not always agree but we will listen and consider input brought to us. We have said that government will not fight this pandemic alone. We need partners in our society to assist us with advice and even mobilizing social behaviour in order to manage the spread of this virus. It is for this reason that we appreciate various social partners who have pledged their support to this cause. We will continue to work together until we conquer this coronavirus battle..

From the desk of the President (18th May 2020)

From the desk of the President (18th May 2020)

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA ON SOUTH AFRICA’S RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, 13 MAY 2020

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA ON SOUTH AFRICA’S RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, 13 MAY 2020

Minister for Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu briefs the media on the response to #Covid19 for level 4 risk adjustment approach

Minister for Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu briefs the media on the response to #Covid19 for level 4 risk adjustment approach.

From the desk of the President (11th May 2020)

Dear Fellow South African,

Since the beginning of May, when we began the gradual easing of the nation-wide coronavirus lockdown, many people have started returning to work.

As part of the phased recovery of the economy, companies in certain specified industries have been able to resume part or all of their operations.

The national coronavirus alert level is now at 4, which means that extreme precautions remain in place to limit community transmission. Our goal is to steadily reduce the alert level by keeping the rate of infection down and getting our health system ready for the inevitable increase in cases.

As the lockdown is gradually eased, life will slowly return. But it will not be life as we knew it before.

While there is still much about the pandemic that is unknown, experts now agree that the virus will remain a threat to global public health for some time.

We must therefore be prepared to continue to live with the coronavirus among us for a year or even more.

We must be prepared for a new reality in which the fight against COVID-19 becomes part of our daily existence.

Our success in overcoming the coronavirus will ultimately be determined by the changes we make in our behaviour.

Even after lockdown – especially after lockdown – we will still need to observe social distancing, wear face masks, wash hands regularly, and avoid contact with other people. We will need to re-organise workplaces, schools, universities, colleges and other public places to limit transmission.

We will need to adapt to new ways of worshipping, socialising, exercising and meeting that minimise opportunities for the virus to spread.

This is a reality that countries across the world are having to confront. Even those countries that have started easing their lockdown restrictions are doing so tentatively and with extreme caution.

Like we have done, many countries are implementing extensive stimulus packages to strengthen their respective health care sectors, support ailing industries and workers and provide relief to vulnerable households.

Like us, they have had to heed calls for economic activity to resume. Like our citizens, their populations are restive and frustrated with the curtailment of personal freedoms.

At the same time, health experts around the globe are warning of a ‘second wave’ of infections as public life resumes. A number of countries including Germany, Iran and China have seen a rise in new infections since they relaxed certain restrictions.

We will be no different. We can and must expect infections to rise as more people return to work. We must accept the reality, prepare for it and adapt to it.

The next phase of our national response is as much about continuity as it is about change or innovation. We will step up our intensive screening, testing and case management programme. We will introduce new measures to make contact tracing more effective. We will need to implement mass sanitisation of workplaces, public transport and other spaces.

Since the nationwide lockdown began, most South Africans have observed the regulations that are in place for their own health and safety. They have made an informed decision to do so, understanding it is necessary for their own lives and for the lives of those around them.

As the restrictions on economic activity and daily life are eased, it is vital that all South Africans maintain that firm sense of personal responsibility. In all that we do, in every sphere of life, we must take care of our own health and the health of others.

Whether as individuals, employers, employees, government, civil society, trade unions or businesses, we will all continue to have a role to play in fighting the pandemic.

In the same way that we had to change our behaviour to prevent the spread of HIV, now we need to change our behaviour to stop the coronavirus.

Imposing a nation-wide lockdown gave our country a strategic advantage. It bought us valuable time to prepare our health system and put in place containment measures. This has slowed transmission and saved lives.

The transition to the next phase of the coronavirus response, that of recovery, will be more difficult than the present one. The risk of infection outbreaks will increase. The demands on our clinics and hospitals and medical personnel will grow.

That is why easing the lockdown restrictions must not result in careless behaviour by individuals or reckless practices by businesses keen to resume activity at the cost of human health.

The coronavirus crisis will pass. But for as long as it remains a threat to the lives of our people, we must remain vigilant, diligent and responsible.

Now, more than ever, it is upon the conduct of each that depends the fate of all.

With best wishes,

From the desk of the President (4th May 2020)

Dear Fellow South African,

The entire world is in the unrelenting grip of the coronavirus pandemic, whose spread has been rapid. A vaccine has yet to be found. Across the world, over 3.4 million people are known to be infected and more than 240,000 have died. These are indeed desperate times.

When the national state of disaster was declared six weeks ago, South Africa only had 61 confirmed coronavirus infections. Despite the relatively low number, expert opinion and international experience indicated that infections would rise exponentially. I said that urgent and drastic measures would need to be taken.

Those measures – which included a nation-wide lockdown and the closure of our borders – have proved to be effective in delaying the spread of the disease.

This has been possible because most South Africans have adhered to the lockdown provisions, practising social distancing and wearing face masks. I applaud you for this and for all the other sacrifices you have made.

At this stage in the progress of the pandemic, other countries had far more infections than we do. As of now – which is 46 days since we recorded our 100th coronavirus case – we have 6,783 confirmed cases. Italy, which has a similar size population to ours, had more than 140,000 cases and the United States had around 700,000 confirmed cases at the 46-day mark.

But this does not mean that the danger has passed. We have not nearly reached the peak of infections in South Africa. All the scientific models show that the infection rate will continue to rise at a much faster rate in the next few months.

However, the speed with which the virus spreads and the number of people who are ultimately infected will be determined by what we do now. That is why the easing of the lockdown needs to be gradual and cautious. It is for this reason that many regulations need to remain in place and why it is absolutely essential that people observe them. I know how difficult this is and I understand the concern that many of our compatriots have about how these regulations are interfering and limiting their rights. But all this is necessary. Our overriding objective is the preservation of life.

Social distancing and proper hygiene are still our best and only defences in this struggle. This is what informs the regulations we have put in place for level 4 of our response. Our considerations are based on empirical evidence, scientific and economic data and international best practice.

In the 1995 judgment of the Constitutional Court that outlawed capital punishment, Justice Arthur Chaskalson wrote: “The rights to life and dignity are the most important of all human rights and the source of all other personal rights. By committing ourselves to a society founded on the recognition of human rights we are required to value these two rights above all others.”

The regulations we have put in place are founded on that commitment to life and dignity, and which justify – in these extreme circumstances – temporary restrictions on other rights, like freedom of movement and association.

In doing this, South Africa is not unlike many other countries.

An estimated one-fifth of the world’s population is under quarantine or nationwide lockdown, with this number growing rapidly in response to rising infections. This includes countries with substantially larger populations than ours, like India with its 1.5 billion people.

Dozens of countries have imposed curfews such as the one that is now in place here. Limitations on movement are in place in a number of countries. In the UK and the French capital, Paris, public exercise is limited to certain hours and within a certain distance of one’s home.

Containment and prevention measures similar to ours are in place in a number of countries. For example, alcohol sales during lockdown have been either restricted or banned in a number of territories and by local governments, including parts of Mexico, Hong Kong and Greenland, which last month imposed a ban on alcohol sales during lockdown to limit infection but also ‘to curb violence against women and children.’

There has been much public comment on government’s decision to extend the prohibition on the sale of tobacco products into level 4. A decision like this is bound to be controversial, but it is wrong to suggest that there are Ministers or a President doing and saying whatever they want on this matter.

On 23 April, I announced that cigarette sales would be permitted during level 4. This was based on the view of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC), and which was contained in the draft framework that was published for consulation.

After careful consideration and discussion, the NCCC reconsidered its position on tobacco. As a result, the regulations ratified by Cabinet and announced by Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on 29 April extended the prohibition.

This was a collective decision and the public statements by both myself and the Minister were done on behalf of, and mandated by, the collective I lead.

Every regulation we have put in place has been carefully considered. Along the way there has been consultation with medical experts, various constituencies and different industries. We have been guided by international bodies and the experience of other countries.

The reality is that we are sailing in uncharted waters. There is still a great deal about the epidemiology of the virus that is unknown. It is better to err on the side of caution than to pay the devastating price of a lapse in judgment in future.

While there are differing views on some of the decisions we have taken – and in some instances these have polarised opinion – government is making every effort to act in a way that advances the rights to life and dignity of all our people.

Listening to our people and their concerns during this period has been one of the distinguishing features of how we as government have managed this pandemic. We continue to listen to the concerns of our people and are prepared to make adjustments that balance people’s concerns about the challenges they face with the need to save lives.

At this difficult time, our collective energies must be focused on ensuring that health and life is preserved, that the delivery of food, water, health care, social security and social support is not disrupted.

Under these extraordinary circumstances, as government, as individuals and as society we will at times make mistakes. When these occur, we will correct them. But we must carry on, losing neither our nerve nor our resolve.

The situation in which we find ourselves demands courage and patience. It requires goodwill and trust between you, the citizen, and your government, and between each other.

Over the past five weeks, most South Africans have adhered to the lockdown regulations and, as a result, we have slowed the spread of the virus.

It is my plea that we continue in this way and that we remain united in confronting this grave threat to the life and dignity of our people.

With best wishes,

Communications and Digital Technology on Risk-Adjusted Strategy directions for film and television production houses

Communications and Digital Technology on Risk-Adjusted Strategy directions for film and television production houses

REQUEST FOR COMMENTS: SCHEDULE OF SERVICES TO BE PHASED IN AS PER THE COVID-19 RISK ADJUSTED STRATEGY

REQUEST FOR COMMENTS: SCHEDULE OF SERVICES TO BE PHASED IN AS PER THE COVID-19 RISK ADJUSTED STRATEGY

Government has today put in the public domain a draft framework for the Risk Adjusted Strategy to bring different sectors of the economy under Level Four of the Lockdown back to work as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

In undertaking the Risk Adjusted Strategy, the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) and the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19 intends to sequence and phased in key sectors and priority areas with a view to deepening the fight against COVID-19 whilst simultaneously rebuilding our economy.

In this regard, sectors and business organisations / trade unions and members of the public are invited to submit comments on the schedule of services to be phased in as per the Covid-19 Risk Adjusted Strategy to be implemented with effect from 01 May 2020.

The draft framework can be accessed on: https://sacoronavirus.co.za/covid-19-risk-adjusted-strategy/ and
https://www.gcis.gov.za/sites/default/files/docs/goodsservices-movement-1.pdf.

Note that the classification of sectors in the draft framework follows the Standard Industrial Classifications (SIC) as published by Statistics South Africa. Where an entire division is permitted, it should be assumed that all subgroupings are permitted as well.

Where only certain subgroupings are specifically permitted within a division, it should be assumed that other subgroupings are not.In the document, when moving between levels, the green text means additions or changes from the prior level. For example, Level 4 now adds forestry and related services to Agriculture.

Feedback and/or comments should be submitted in writing preferably for Level Four and following the attached guidelines. South Africa will be moving to level 4 economic activity as of 1 May 2020 hence comments particularly on the proposals as contained in Level 4 is encouraged.

Completed submissions must be returned via email to lockdowncomments@cogta.gov.za by 12h00, on Monday, 27 April 2020.

Issued by Government Communications (GCIS)
25 April 2020

REMARKS BY MINISTER OF FINANCE, MR, TITO MBOWENI, DURING THE MEDIA BRIEFING TO OUTLINE R500BN ECONOMIC SUPPORT PACKAGE

REMARKS BY MINISTER OF FINANCE, MR, TITO MBOWENI, DURING THE MEDIA BRIEFING TO OUTLINE R500BN ECONOMIC SUPPORT PACKAGE

24 APRIL 2020

Introduction

We are, as a nation, facing extraordinary times and enormous economic challenges.

We have, however, got the human and other resources, and the resilience as a nation to overcome this challenge.

Led by the President, and together with my cluster colleagues, we have developed a set of fiscal and monetary policy interventions. These interventions draw together the skills and expertise of people in private and public sector.

At this time of great need, our macroeconomic response must not only be about the high-level fiscal and monetary variables. Those are very important. Our intervention must also be about our people, particularly the poor, the infirm and the vulnerable. It must also be about the businesses – large and small – that drive our economy, and create work for our people. It must be about our banking and financial system, to make sure money continues to flow through the veins of the economy.

A co-ordinated fiscal and monetary policy response

Our focus has on how to use the levers of macroeconomic policy, i.e. fiscal and monetary policy, in a way that delivers an immediate, targeted and clear response.

Wisely used together, these key levers can deliver a countercyclical boost directly into the heart of the economy. But, if these two levers work against each other, or if the levers are used incorrectly, then we can be left substantially worse off. We must be careful not to choose a path that seems easy, or too good to be true. The easy path more often than not to a bad destination; and if something seems to be too good to be true, it probably usually is.

Over the last week, the teams from the National Treasury and South African Reserve Bank have worked together on a set of macroeconomic responses to the crisis. Governor 10 and I have convened two bilaterals – one on Saturday between ourselves, and one on Sunday involving our two full teams.

Our key discussion point was to appropriately calibrate the fiscal and monetary policy interventions, and provide appropriate advice.

We must always balance short-term fiscal and monetary policy interventions with long-run sustainability. Working under the leadership of our President, we calibrated a fiscal package of approximately R500 billion. Governor 10 (Lesetja Kganyago) has already unveiled a monetary and policy package. This will bring additional life into the whole financial system, and will utilise the combined balance sheet of the country in a careful but appropriate way.

This takes our total economy wide measures over R800 billion. Let me say that again – our combined fiscal and monetary policy package is over R800 billion. This is a major fiscal and monetary policy response

The components of the fiscal and monetary response

The main components of the fiscal response can be thought of in five components, which are:

Firstly, an extraordinary health budget (R20 billion) to respond to coronavirus,

Secondly, the relief of hunger and social distress,

Thirdly, support for companies and workers,

Fourthly, the phased re-opening of the economy which the President spoke about last night, and

Finally, the supportive monetary and financial market measures.

The President has spoken in detail about these components.

Let me give a short summary:

Under the first part of the package, we are setting aside an amount of R20 billion to be directed to addressing our efforts in dealing with the pandemic.

Under the second part of the package, the government will substantially increase our social security net.

We are directing R50 billion towards relieving the plight of those who are most desperately affected by the coronavirus. Child support grant beneficiaries (children) will receive an extra R300 in May.

From June we will change the way the system works a little. From June to October caregivers (typically mothers) will get an additional R500 each month. All other grants will be topped by R250 per month for the next six months. We will use our existing system to disburse these grants.

In addition, a special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress grant of R350 a month for the next 6 months will be paid to individuals who are currently unemployed and do not receive any other form of social grant or UIF payment.

Our teams are working closely with the Department of Social Development SASSA and teams from the Payments Association of South Africa, the Banking Association, and others to identify easier payment systems to be used in this regard. We aim to use existing cash transfer systems including mobile cellphone technology. The Department of Social Development and SASSA will outline the details on how this will be implemented including a smooth application process making it easier for eligible recipients to sign up and get the money quickly.

On the third part of the package, we have rolled out an extensive set of tax relief and support for workers. My other colleagues in particular Thula Nxesi will speak to the detail on the support for workers.

On the tax side, our proposals include:

1. An increase in the expanded employment tax incentive amount from R500 to R750 per employee.
2. A skills development levy holiday of 4 months from 1 May 2020.
3. Fast-tracking VAT refunds.
4. Deferring the payment of excise duty on alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.
5. A three-month deferral for filing and first payment of carbon tax liabilities to 31 October 2020.
6. A postponement of some of the corporate tax proposals in this year’s Budget on interest expenses and assessed losses.
7. An increase in the deferment of employee’s tax
8. An increase in the turnover threshold for automatic deferrals.
9. We have been particularly pleased to see how quickly the nation has pulled together. A Solidarity Fund has been set up and has shown us a new way of how we can bring together our society to confront the challenge. Alreadythe Solidarity Fund has spent R1 billion on personal protective equipment. Up to a third of such donations will be tax deductible. We will also increase the limits for payroll giving to the Solidarity Fund – including in determining the monthly withholding of employees’ tax.
10. Finally, we have expanded access to living annuity funds by allowing individual to adjust the proportion they receive as annuity income, instead of waiting up to one year until their next contract anniversary date.

The combined effect of these revenue and expenditure measures have naturally changed the fiscal framework. That said, for the next few weeks, many of these measures can still be accommodated within the current framework. I will shortly be tabling a revised budget bill to Parliament to deal with all these measures.

We are in this together. South Africa is resilient, and we have the ability to get through tough times together.

Further support for firms will come from a R200 billion loan guarantee scheme, which the President also announced. The key features of the Covid-19 loan guarantee scheme are provided in detail on our website.

Fourthly, the phased re-opening of the economy

As the President said last night, on the 23 April 2020, most of government’s efforts are focused on finding mechanisms to ensure firms can return to work safely. Conditional on bsuinesses installing a screening and testing system and providing a safe working environment, we can open up the economy. There is no need for us to elaborate on the measures, which were detailed by our President.

As businesses open we will focus on screening and testing. Clear communication strategies are required and it is critical to ensure that people feel protected and safe.  Targeted lockdowns will need to be re-imposed where risks begin to emerge. It will be critical to facilitate trade, to generate export earnings as well as to provide some support for businesses that can operate. The fiscal and economic impact of banning certain goods needs to be taken into account.

To achieve this, we have developed an approach that determines the measures we should have in place based on the direction of the pandemic in our country.

We have an excellent health response to this crisis, led by Minisiter Mkhize. Our economic package will help cushion the blow on the economy.

But we must be aware that even with the best programmes in the world, growth will not recover immediately. In order to manage the health risks of this extremely contagious disease, international experience suggests that a phased approach to the normalization of economic activity is required. Since very little is known about how co-morbidity factors affect infection and mortality rates, and with existing health problems, cramped living conditions and poverty within the population, caution is warranted.

But the longer that growth remains weak, the greater the risk that there will be permanent destruction of economic capacity. This in turn has serious implications for the income streams of households and firms.

Global weakness further compounds these growth effects, alongside the impact of a weaker currency and higher borrowing costs.

Concerns about the sustainability of South Africa’s fiscal choices has seen the cost of borrowing in our country increase faster than other emerging economies. The fiscal weakness was present going into the crisis – in particular, rising debt to GDP levels and the rapid growth in interest costs as a share of total spending, squeezing out spending on other priorities. Unsustainable state-owned enterprises are putting enormous pressure on the budget. The quicker we find solutions to this the better for everyone.

While we are keenly aware of the need for a short-run enormous intervention, we cannot take our eye off the ball, i.e. the long-run. We must ensure that our choices do not mortgage our future.

Thus in the month ahead, our response will be in three phases:

• Phase 1 is the phase we are currently in, which aims to PRESERVE our economy. It is designed to be a set of immediate, targeted and temporary responses.
• Phase 2 is a plan for RECOVERY from the immediate effects of the crisis. We will outline This in due course.
• Phase 3 is a PIVOT to position the economy for structurally higher growth. This virus will be beaten. But we must make sure that when we beat it, we do not compromise our long-run sustainability.

In particular, as we come out of the coronavirus crisis, we must work quickly to implement our structural reforms to get the economy moving. Virus or no virus, the economy has been growing too slowly for too long.

Concluding remarks

In conclusion, I would like to thank my colleagues and the many South Africans for the way in which in which we are working together in this crisis.

In the spirit of Thuma Mina, many have put up their hands, and put their shoulders to the wheel for our country. There have been colloquia, research papers, opinion pieces, and so forth. We have truly experienced the intellectual capacity of our nation, and we have been presented with near endless set of ideas. We have also drawn from the community of nations. We are members of many international bodies. They have shared their experiences and ideas with us, and we have shared ours with them. They have ensured that we have a truly global response.

As we aim to propel our economy forward after the crisis, we must all remember that together we can do more.

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA ON FURTHER ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL MEASURES IN RESPONSE THE COVID-19 EPIDEMIC

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA ON FURTHER ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL MEASURES IN RESPONSE THE COVID-19 EPIDEMIC

21 APRIL 2020

My Fellow South Africans,

It is 25 days since South Africa began a nation-wide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
It has demanded of you great fortitude and endurance.
It has caused you much suffering and required much sacrifice.

Once again, I salute you and I thank you.

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted your lives and damaged our economy.
Its severity will continue to take a heavy toll in the weeks and months to come.
The pandemic has resulted in the sudden loss of income for businesses and individuals alike, deepening poverty and increasing hunger.
The urgent and dramatic measures we have taken to delay the spread of the virus have been absolutely necessary.
They have given us the space to better respond to the inevitable rise in infections and to thereby save tens of thousands of lives.

While the nation-wide lockdown is having a devastating effect on our economy, it is nothing compared to the catastrophic human, social and economic cost if the coronavirus could spread among our people unchecked.

Medical scientists and our doctors inform us that we are still in the early stages of this pandemic.
Without proven therapeutic medicines or a vaccine, we can expect this to continue as a problem for the foreseeable future.

Our foremost priority now is to intensify the health interventions needed to contain and delay the spread of the disease and to save lives.

To date, the coronavirus has taken the lives of at least 58 people in our country.

This is a loss that we all mourn, for we know the pain and the anguish of their loved ones.

From the more than 126,000 tests conducted, 3,465 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been identified.
More than 2 million people have been screened in communities across the country and, of these, over 15,000 have been referred for testing.

Alongside this unprecedented public health effort are the measures we are taking to protect livelihoods, to stave off hunger and destitution and to set our economy on a path of recovery.
This evening, I wish to address you on our economic and social response to this global health emergency. The pandemic requires an economic response that is equal to the scale of the disruption it is causing.

Our economic response can be divided into three phases.

The first phase began in mid-March when we declared the coronavirus pandemic as a national disaster.
This included a broad range of measures to mitigate the worst effects of the pandemic on businesses, on communities and on individuals.
The measures included tax relief, the release of disaster relief funds, emergency procurement, wage support through the UIF and funding to small businesses.

We are now embarking on the second phase of our economic response to stabilise the economy, address the extreme decline in supply and demand and protect jobs.
As part of this phase, we are announcing this evening a massive social relief and economic support package of R500 billion, which amounts to around 10% of GDP.

The third phase is the economic strategy we will implement to drive the recovery of our economy as the country emerges from this pandemic.

Central to the economic recovery strategy will be the measures we will embark upon to stimulate demand and supply through interventions such as a substantial infrastructure build programme, the speedy implementation of economic reforms, the transformation of our economy and embarking on all other steps that will ignite inclusive economic growth.

We will outline this in coming days.

Over the past few days, we have been in consultations with various stakeholders.
We have met with business, labour and the community constituency in NEDLAC.
We have met with Premiers, MECs and Metro Mayors and with the members of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.

Following these meetings, Cabinet considered various proposals and finalised the social relief and economic support package that stands at the centre of the second phase of our economic response.

This involves:
Firstly, an extraordinary health budget to respond to coronavirus,
Secondly, the relief of hunger and social distress,
Thirdly, support for companies and workers,
Fourthly, the phased re-opening of the economy.

The impact of the coronavirus requires an extraordinary coronavirus budget – of around R500 billion – to direct resources towards fighting the pandemic.

This will include the reprioritisation of around R130 billion within the current budget. The rest of the funds will be raised from both local sources, such as the Unemployment Insurance Fund, and from global partners and international finance institutions. To date, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, BRICS New Development Bank and the African Development Bank have been approached and are working with the National Treasury on various funding transactions.

Some of these institutions have created financing packages that are aimed at assisting countries that are having to address the coronavirus crisis like us. This funding will be used, in the first instance, to fund the health response to coronavirus. An amount of R20 billion will be directed to addressing our efforts to address the pandemic.

If we are to successfully manage the anticipated surge in cases and ensure that everyone who needs treatment receives it, we must provide for additional expenditure on personal protective  equipment for health workers, community screening, an increase in testing capacity, additional beds in field hospitals, ventilators, medicine and staffing.

The nation-wide lockdown has had a negative impact on the revenue of municipalities at a time when the demands on them are increasing. Additional funding of R20 billion will therefore be made available to municipalities for the provision of emergency water supply, increased sanitisation of public transport and facilities, and providing food and shelter for the homeless.

Details will be announced in the adjustment budget tabled by the Minister of Finance. Another significant area that requires massive additional expenditure is the relief of hunger and social  distress in our communities across the country.

While we have put in place measures to protect the wages of workers in the formal economy and have extended support to small, medium and micro-sized businesses, millions of South Africans in the informal economy and those without employment are struggling to survive. Poverty and food insecurity have deepened dramatically in the course of just a few weeks. To reach the most vulnerable families in the country, we have decided on a temporary 6-month Coronavirus grant.

We will direct R50 billion towards relieving the plight of those who are most desperately affected by the coronavirus.

This means that child support grant beneficiaries will receive an extra R300 in May and from June to October they will receive an additional R500 each month.
All other grant beneficiaries will receive an extra R250 per month for the next six months.
In addition, a special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress grant of R350 a month for the next 6 months will be paid to individuals who are currently unemployed and do not receive any other form of social grant or UIF payment.

The Department of Social Development will issue the requirements needed to access and apply for this funding.

We have recognised that the food distribution capacity of government is not adequate to meet the huge need that has arisen since the start of the epidemic.
The South African Social Security Agency – SASSA – will within days implement a technology-based solution to roll out food assistance at scale through vouchers and cash transfers to ensure that help reaches those who need it faster and more efficiently.

In addition, to fill the immediate need, the Department of Social Development has partnered with the Solidarity Fund, NGOs and community-based organisations to distribute 250,000 food parcels across the country over the next two weeks.

We are deeply disturbed by reports of unscrupulous people abusing the distribution of food and other assistance for corrupt ends. We will not hesitate to ensure that those involved in such activities face the full might of the law.

While there are several interventions that already exist within government to deal with the extremely high unemployment such as the Expanded Public Works Programme and the community works programme, these are not enough.

The coronavirus crisis will lead to many people losing their jobs. An additional R100 billion will be set aside for protection of jobs and to create jobs. Since the declaration of a state of national disaster over a month ago, government has put in place a range of measures to support workers’ wages and assist companies in distress.

By the end of today, the UIF’s special COVID-19 benefit has paid out R1.6-billion, assisting over 37,000 companies and 600,00 workers.
R40 billion has been set aside for income support payments for workers whose employers are not able to pay their wages.

We continue to provide assistance – in the form of loans, grants and debt restructuring – to SMMEs, spaza shop owners and other informal businesses.
The value of this assistance to date is over R100 million.
An additional amount of R2 billion will be made available to assist SMEs and spaza shop owners and other small businesses.

The IDC facility to support companies to procure or manufacture personal protective equipment has been utilised in the past few weeks, with finance of R162 million approved to date.
Other forms of support have been extended to artists, athletes and technical personnel, as well as to waste pickers and public works participants in the environment sector.

While these measures are providing obvious relief to many companies and workers, it is clear that there is a far greater need across the entire economy. We will therefore be introducing a R200 billion loan guarantee scheme in partnership with the major banks, the National Treasury and the South African Reserve Bank.

This will assist enterprises with operational costs, such as salaries, rent and the payment of suppliers.

In the initial phase, companies with a turnover of less than R300 million a year will be eligible. It is expected that the scheme will support over 700,000 firms and more than 3 million employees through this difficult period. A number of the banks are ready to roll out the product before the end of the month.

Government is also working on additional support measures for vulnerable and affected sectors like the taxi industry.

In addition to existing tax relief measures, we will also be introducing a 4-month holiday for companies’ skills development levy contributions, fast-tracking VAT refunds and a 3-month delay for filing and first payment of carbon tax.

To assist a greater number of businesses, the previous turnover threshold for tax deferrals is being increased to R100 million a year, and the proportion of PAYE payment that can be deferred will be increased to 35 percent.

Businesses with a turnover of more than R100 million a year can apply directly to SARS on a case-by-case basis for deferrals of their tax payments. No penalties for late payments will be applicable if they can show they have been materially negatively impacted in this period.

Taxpayers who donate to the Solidarity Fund will be able to claim up to an additional 10 percent as a deduction from their taxable income.

In total these tax measures should provide at least R70 billion in cash flow relief or direct payments to businesses and individuals.

The Minister of Finance will provide further details on the above and other tax-related announcements.

In the implementation of all these measures, we are determined to ensure that women, youth and persons with disability received particular attention and support.
The South African Reserve Bank has also made an important contribution to support the real economy.

In line with its Constitutional mandate, it has cut the repo rate by 200 basis point, in effect unlocking at least R80 billion in the real economy, and taking other steps to provide additional liquidity to the financial system.

Several commercial banks and insurance companies have also assisted the economic relief effort by, among other things, delaying or reducing instalment payments, providing debt relief, and waiving bank fees for grant beneficiaries.

The fourth area on which Cabinet has resolved is the phased re-opening of the economy. We will follow a risk-adjusted approach to the return of economic activity, balancing the continued need to limit the spread of the coronavirus with the need to get people back to work.

As I have said previously, if we end the lockdown too soon or too abruptly, we risk a massive and uncontrollable resurgence of the disease. We will therefore follow a phased approach, guided by the best available scientific evidence, to gradually lift the restrictions on economic activity.

As we do so, we remain firm in our resolve to contain the transmission of the virus. We will therefore need to act with agility and flexibility in the weeks and months ahead, and respond to the situation as it develops.

On Thursday, I will address the nation on the measures that will be taken beyond the nationwide lockdown to re-open the economy. This crisis will not last forever, and the day will come when these measures are no longer needed.

Until then, however, we must ensure that all of our people receive adequate support. The scale of this emergency relief programme is historic. It demonstrates that we will not spare any effort, or any expense, in our determination to support our people and protect them from harm.

We will – and we must – do whatever it takes to recover from this human, social and economic crisis.

Our country and the world we live in will never be the same. We are resolved not merely to return our economy to where it was before the coronavirus, but to forge a new economy in a new global reality.

Our economic strategy going forward will require a new social compact among all role players – business, labour, community and government – to restructure the economy and achieve inclusive growth.

Building on the cooperation that is being forged among all social partners during this crisis, we will accelerate the structural reforms required to reduce the cost of doing business, to promote localisation and industrialisation, to overhaul state owned enterprises and to strengthen the informal sector.

We will forge a compact for radical economic transformation that ensures that advances the economic position of women, youth and persons with disabilities, and that makes our cities, towns, villages and rural areas vibrant centres of economic activity.

Our new economy must be founded on fairness, empowerment, justice and equality. It must use every resource, every capability and every innovation we have in the service of the people of this country.

Our new economy must open new horizons and offer new opportunities. Over the past month, South Africans have opened their hearts each other. Even at this moment when such great sacrifice is demanded of us, we look to a better future with optimism.

Even as we find ourselves at a moment of great peril, even as great sacrifices are demanded, even as we dare not allow our vigilance to waver, we look ahead to a better future.

I have faith in the strength and resilience of ordinary South Africans, who have proven time and time again – throughout our history – that they can rise to the challenge.

We shall recover.
We shall overcome.
We shall prosper.

May God bless South Africa and protect her people.

I thank you.

Statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on South Africa’s Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic, Union Building, Tshwane

Statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on South Africa’s Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic, Union Building, Tshwane

My Fellow South Africans,

It has been exactly seven weeks since the first case of the coronavirus was confirmed in our country.

Since then, all our lives have changed in fundamental ways.

As a nation we have been forced to take aggressive action against an invisible enemy that threatened our lives and the lives of our loved ones.

We have been forced to adapt to a new way of living, in a short space of time.

As we enter the fifth week of an unprecedented nation-wide lockdown – and as we look to the future – we should remember why we are here.

The novel coronavirus, which was identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year, has spread rapidly across the world.

To date, over 2.6 million confirmed cases have been reported worldwide.

The actual number of people infected is likely to be far higher.

The coronavirus causes the disease known as COVID-19, a respiratory illness for which humans currently have no immunity and for which there is no known cure.

The coronavirus is passed from person to person in small droplets from the nose and mouth that can be transmitted by direct contact, on surfaces we touch or when an infected person coughs or sneezes when they are close to another person.

Most infected people exhibit only mild symptoms; some do not show any symptoms at all.

But there are people who develop severe symptoms and require hospitalisation.

These are usually older people and those who suffer from underlying conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease and cancer.

For some of these people, COVID-19 is fatal.

Across the world, more than 185,000 people have succumbed to the disease.

Here in South Africa, at least 75 people have lost their lives.

Because the coronavirus can spread so rapidly through a population, it can overwhelm even the best-resourced health system within a matter of weeks.

This is what has occurred in many countries across the world, and it is precisely what we, as South Africa, have gone to great lengths to prevent.

Very few health systems across the world – if any – are prepared for a sudden and exponential increase in people requiring treatment for a severe respiratory illness.

As a result, if the virus spreads too quickly, there are not enough hospital beds, intensive care units, ventilators, personal protection equipment or medicine for everyone who needs them.

To make matters worse, people who are suffering from other conditions or need emergency procedures are unable to get the care they need.

And in such circumstances, many lives that could have been saved, are lost.

I am reiterating these basic facts – which by now are probably familiar to many of you – because they explain the actions we have taken to date and they inform the measures I am announcing this evening.

From the moment we declared the coronavirus pandemic to be a national disaster on Sunday 15 March, our objective was to delay the spread of the virus.

We have sought to avoid a massive surge in infections and an uncontrollable increase in the number of people needing medical care.

Our approach has been based on the principles of social distancing, restriction of movement and stringent basic hygiene practices.

By delaying the spread of the virus, we have had time to prepare our health facilities and mobilise some of the essential medical supplies needed to meet the inevitable increase in infections.

And it is in so doing, that we hope to save tens of thousands of lives.

There is clear evidence that the lockdown has been working.

Together with the other measures we have taken – such as closing our borders – and the changes in behaviour that each of us has made, the lockdown has slowed the progression of the pandemic in the country.

The World Health Organization has commended South Africa for acting swiftly and for following scientific advice to delay the spread of the virus.

Yet, while a nation-wide lockdown is probably the most effective means to contain the spread of the coronavirus, it cannot be sustained indefinitely.

Our people need to eat. They need to earn a living. Companies need to be able to produce and to trade, they need to generate revenue and keep their employees in employment.

We have accordingly decided that beyond Thursday 30 April, we should begin a gradual and phased recovery of economic activity.

We will implement a risk adjusted strategy through which we take a deliberate and cautious approach to the easing of current lockdown restrictions.

We have decided on this approach because there is still much that is unknown about the rate and manner of the spread of the virus within our population.

The action we take now must therefore be measured and incremental.

This approach is guided by the advice from scientists who have advised that an abrupt and uncontrolled lifting of restrictions could cause a massive resurgence in infections.

We cannot take action today that we will deeply regret tomorrow.

We must avoid a rushed re-opening that could risk a spread, which would need to be followed by another hard lockdown, as has happened in other countries.

We have to balance the need to resume economic activity with the imperative to contain the virus and save lives.

To achieve this, we have developed an approach that determines the measures we should have in place based on the direction of the pandemic in our country.

As part of this approach, there will be five coronavirus levels:

Level 5 means that drastic measures are required to contain the spread of the virus to save lives.

Level 4 means that some activity can be allowed to resume subject to extreme precautions required to limit community transmission and outbreaks.

Level 3 involves the easing of some restrictions, including on work and social activities, to address a high risk of transmission.

Level 2 involves the further easing of restrictions, but the maintenance of physical distancing and restrictions on some leisure and social activities to prevent a resurgence of the virus.

Level 1 means that most normal activity can resume, with precautions and health guidelines followed at all times.

To ensure that our response to the pandemic can be as precise and targeted as possible, there will be a national level and separate levels for each province, district and metro in the country.

We are currently at Level 5, which requires a full national lockdown to contain the spread of the virus.

This is the highest level of lockdown and was imposed when drastic action was necessary to curb transmission.

The National Coronavirus Command Council will determine the alert level based on an assessment of the infection rate and the capacity of our health system to provide care to those who need it.

We have undertaken a detailed exercise to classify the different parts of the economy according to the risk of transmission in that sector, the expected impact of the lockdown, the economic contribution of the sector and the effect on livelihoods.

The relevant Ministers will provide a detailed briefing on the classification of industries and how each is affected at each level.

We will give all industry bodies an opportunity to consider these details and, should they wish, to make submissions before new regulations are gazetted.

The National Coronavirus Command Council met earlier today and determined that the national coronavirus alert level will be lowered from level 5 to level 4 with effect from Friday the 1st of May.

This means that some activity will be allowed to resume subject to extreme precautions to limit community transmission and outbreaks

Some businesses will be allowed to resume operations under specific conditions.

Every business will have to adhere to detailed health and safety protocols to protect their employees, and workplace plans will be put in place to enable disease surveillance and prevent the spread of infection.

All businesses that are permitted to resume operations will be required to do so in a phased manner, first preparing the workplace for a return to operations, followed by the return of the workforce in batches of no more than one-third.

In some cases, a sector will not be able to return to full production during Level 4 while the risk of infection remains high.

These will be spelt out next week following a final round of consultations.

Businesses will be encouraged to adopt a work-from-home strategy where possible.

All staff who can work remotely must be allowed to do so.

The relevant Ministers will provide details on the process for the phased re-opening of schools and other educational institutions.

As we gradually ease the restrictions, it is necessary that many of the measures to contain the spread of the virus remain in place.

When the country moves to level 4 on 1 May:

Our borders will remain closed to international travel, except for the repatriation of South African nationals and foreign citizens.

No travel will be allowed between provinces, except for the transportation of goods and exceptional circumstances such as funerals.

Public transport will continue to operate, with limitations on the number of passengers and stringent hygiene requirements, including that all passengers must wear a face mask.

The public is encouraged to stay at home, other than for essential personal movement, doing essential work and work in sectors that are under controlled opening. People can exercise under strict public health conditions.

All gatherings, apart from funerals and for work, will remain prohibited.

Those who are elderly, and those with underlying conditions, must remain at home and take additional precautions to isolate themselves.

The sale of cigarettes will be permitted.

The range of goods that may be sold will be extended to incorporate certain additional categories. These will be detailed by the relevant Ministers.

It is important to note that several restrictions will remain in place regardless of the level of alert for as long as the risk of transmission is present:

Bars and shebeens will remain closed.

Conference and convention centres, entertainment venues, cinemas, theatres, and concerts will remain closed.

Concerts, sporting events, and religious, cultural and social gatherings will not be allowed until it is deemed safe for them to continue.

The coronavirus is spread by contact between people.

If people do not travel, the virus does not travel.

We know, for example, that just one funeral in Port St Johns and one religious gathering in Mangaung contributed to a spate of infections in their respective provinces.

From the evidence we have, we know that 75 percent of confirmed coronavirus cases are found in just six metro municipalities – Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Cape Town, Buffalo City, EThekwini and Mangaung.

It is therefore essential that we do everything in our means to restrict the movement of people and – although it runs counter to our very nature – to reduce the contact that each of us has with each other.

Ultimately, it is our own actions, as individuals, that will determine how quickly the virus spreads.

If we all adhere to instructions and follow public health guidelines, we will keep the virus under control and will not need to reinstate the most drastic restrictions.

We can prevent the spread of coronavirus by doing a few simple things.

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol based sanitiser.

Keep a distance of more than one metre between yourself and the next person, especially those who are coughing and sneezing.

Try not to touch your mouth, nose and eyes because your hands may have touched the coronavirus on surfaces.

When you cough or sneeze cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or a tissue, and dispose of the tissue right away.

As we begin the easing of lockdown restrictions from the beginning of May, we are calling on all South Africans to wear a face mask whenever you leave home.

Our clothing and textile industry – including many small businesses – are gearing up to produce these masks on a mass scale.

The extraordinary measures that we have put in place to combat the coronavirus pandemic have been matched by the extraordinary contributions of many South Africans.

We pay tribute to them, the nurses, the doctors, the scientists and the community screening field workers who are leading our public health response.

We are committed to ensuring that they have all the resources they need – including adequate personal protection equipment and other recognition – to undertake the work that is being asked of them.

As we slowly ease the lockdown restrictions, we are substantially and rapidly increasing our public health response.

We have already seen a huge increase in community screening and testing.

Guided by advice from the World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, we have joined other African countries in placing mass screening and testing at the centre of the next phase of our response.

Earlier in the week, I announced an additional allocation of R20 billion to our health response to ensure that we have the beds, medicine, equipment and personnel required when the country experiences the peak of infections.

This evening, I also want to pay tribute to those who are providing essential services and goods – the truck, taxi, bus and train drivers; the workers on farms, in stores, at power stations, at water plants, at petrol stations, in banks and in call centres; the law enforcement officials and security personnel.

It is thanks to your efforts that we have been able to make such valuable progress in combating this pandemic.

As part of expanding this effort, I have employed over 70,000 defence force personnel to assist with various parts of our coronavirus response.

Until now, those defence force members that have been deployed have supported the South African Police Service in their responsibilities.

They will continue to do so, but they will also be providing assistance in other essential areas, such as the provision of water supply, infrastructure maintenance and health services.

This is a crucial moment in our struggle against the coronavirus.

It is a time for caution.

It is a time to act responsibly.

It is a time for patience.

There is no person who doesn’t want to return to work.

There is no company that does not want to re-open.

There is no student who does not want to return to their studies.

Yet, we are all called upon, at some time in our lives, to make great sacrifices for our own future and for the future of others.

There are times when we must endure hardship and difficulty, so that we can enjoy freedom and prosperity into the future.

During the past five weeks, we have demonstrated to the entire world what a nation can achieve with courage, determination and solidarity.

We must not give up now.

I am asking you to stay strong.

I am asking you to remain united.

Stay home, stay safe.

Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do.

May God bless South Africa and protect her people.

I thank you.

Use of Cloth Face Masks by Members of the General Public in South Africa During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Use of Cloth Face Masks by Members of the General Public in South Africa During the COVID-19 Pandemic

There has been much debate globally and locally about whether members of the general public should be advised to wear face-masks during the Covid-19 pandemic. As the epidemic unfolds, support for the wide use of cloth face-masks, including for people who are not ill, is growing. The main benefit of everyone wearing a face-mask is to reduce the amount of Coronavirus (or Influenza virus) being coughed up by those with the infection thereby reducing its spread through droplets.

Since some persons with the Coronavirus may not have symptoms or may not know they are infected, everyone should wear a facemask.

The National Department of Health therefore recommends that everyone in South Africa should wear a cloth face-mask (also known as a non-medical mask) when in public. Commuters travelling in taxis and other forms of public transport, as well as people spending time in spaces where physical distancing is difficult to practice, are particularly encouraged to wear cloth face-masks.

The following should be noted:
Cloth face-masks are recommended as part of respiratory hygiene or etiquette which also includes coughing and sneezing into a bent elbow or a tissue (with proper disposal of the tissue).

The use of cloth face-masks does not reduce the need for other prevention strategies and should never be promoted separately from hand-washing (or sanitising), physical distancing and other components of cough/sneeze hygiene.

The public should not use surgical (medical) or N-95 respirator masks.
Surgical masks and N-95 masks are critical supplies that must be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders. The public is strongly discouraged from using these masks.

Cloth face-masks need to be worn and cleaned properly
The face-mask must cover the nose and mouth completely. Face-masks should not be lowered when speaking, coughing or sneezing.

How the properly use a cloth mask
It is very important that cloth masks are used correctly. Incorrect use might result in users putting themselves at risk of spreading Covid-19.

Guidelines for use are as follows:
1. Only use a mask that has been washed and ironed.
2. Wash your hands before putting the mask on.
3. Place the mask with the correct side facing your face, and ensure that it covers both your nose and mouth properly.
4. Tie the strings behind your head, or if you are using elastic bands, make sure these are tight.
5. Make sure it fits well. Move it around to get the best fit. Never touch the cloth part.
6. Once you have put on the mask, DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE again until you take it of.
7. When you take it off, undo the ties, and carefully fold the mask inside out, hold it by the strings/elastic and place the mask in a container reserved for washing the cloth mask.
8. Wash your hands thoroughly and dry before doing anything else.
9. Wash cloth masks with warm soapy water and iron when dry.
10. You must have at least two cloth masks per person so you will be able to wash one and have a clean one ready for use.
11. Masks should be washed with soap and hot water, rinsed thoroughly and ironed.

DR A PILLAY
ACTING DIRECTOR-GENERAL

President to outline expanded COVID-19 economic & social relief

President to outline expanded COVID-19 economic & social relief

President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation this evening – Tuesday, 21 April 2020 – on additional economic and social relief measures that form part of the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The President’s address flows from recent deliberations at Cabinet, the National Coronavirus Command Council, the President’s Coordinating Council, and the National Economic Development and Labour Council, among others.

The Presidency will in the course of the day announce the time for the President’s address which will be broadcast on radio and television and will be streamed live.

President’s Speech on 20th April 2020

BAN ON SALE OF ALCOHOL TO REMAIN IN FORCE

The Presidency has declined the request of the Gauteng Liquor Forum for its members to sell alcohol during the declared national state of disaster.

The restriction on the sale of liquor will remain.

The decision was communicated to the Forum’s attorneys on 17 April 2020 via the offices of the State Attorney.

The President and government as a whole remain committed to financially supporting businesses in distress during this period.

The President has carefully considered the representations made by the Gauteng Liquor Forum.

These however have had to be weighed up against the imperative of all South African businesses and citizens to comply with the lockdown regulations, the health implications of consumption of alcohol and the priority to ensure social distancing during this principle. As such, alcohol is not considered an essential good or item. It is in fact considered a hindrance to the fight against the coronavirus.

The President furthermore considered representations from other stakeholders who have pointed to the causal relationship between alcohol intoxication and abuse, and risky behaviour.

There are proven links between the sale and consumption of alcohol and violent crime, motor vehicle accidents and other medical emergencies at a time when all private and public resources should be preparing to receive and treat vast number of COVID19 patients.

The President has further noted that the Gauteng Liquor Forum’s position is not shared by all industry stakeholders; and that a number of other organizations in the liquor industry have rejected the call for the restrictions to be lifted.

In response to concerns raised by the Gauteng Liquor Forum that small business in the liquor trade may suffer financial loss during this period, the Presidency has once again drawn the Forum’s attention to the assistance provided by the Tourism Relief Fund, the Department of Small Business Development, the Unemployment Insurance Fund and private endeavours such as the South African Future Trust amongst others. 
These funds and institutions provide capped grant assistance to small, micro and medium enterprises, to ensure sustainability during this period, as well as support to employees of these enterprises.

It is common cause that the containment of the coronavirus has resulted in financial strain for many businesses across all sectors, and not just those in the liquor industry.

Government stands ready to assist them within the available means to alleviate this hardship.

The Presidency has further communicated to the Gauteng Liquor Forum once again the factors weighed by the National Coronavirus Command Council, the Cabinet and the President himself following communication earlier in the week that these measures would be considered during various engagements.

The Presidency has re-iterated that the decision to impose a nationwide was not taken lightly by the Executive, but based on the preponderance of all relevant factors and advise.

The overarching consideration has always been and remains the safety of South Africans.

The government remains willing to engage with all concrete constructive proposals to ease both the threat to life and the economic challenges occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.

Statement on the Special Cabinet Meeting of Wednesday, 15 April 2020

Statement on the Special Cabinet Meeting of Wednesday, 15 April 2020

A virtual Special Cabinet Meeting was held on 15 April 2020, to discuss the socio-economic recovery plan post the COVID-19 National Lockdown.

This follows the announcement made by President Cyril Ramaphosa two weeks ago, that the Cabinet would have a full discussion to come up with an economic recovery plan for the country.

Five presentations were received from the clusters: (1) Economic Sectors, Investment, Employment and Infrastructure Development; (2) Governance, State Capacity and Institutional Development; (3) Social Protection, Community and Human Development; (4) International Cooperation, Trade and Security; and (5) Justice, Crime Prevention and Security.

The presentations were a culmination of the work done by all the Cabinet clusters, focusing on the country’s economic recovery as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent downgrading of South Africa by ratings agencies Moody’s and Fitch respectively.

Cabinet resolved that further discussions and consultations are still required before the final consolidated plan is approved to be shared with the nation.

All the Cabinet clusters have been asked to work together to produce one consolidated document on key priorities of the country’s economic recovery plan, to be completed before the next Cabinet Meeting scheduled to take place on Monday, 20 April 2020.

Cabinet has also directed Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan to prepare an updated report on the South African Airways, for discussion at the upcoming meeting. Thereafter, Cabinet will finalise the country’s economic recovery plan.

Cabinet thanks all people across the country for staying at home during the lockdown period.

Ministers Remarks for 14th April 2020

Ministers Remarks for 14th April 2020

Good afternoon fellow South Africans

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the greatest challenges that has ever faced our nation.

It is three simultaneous shocks. It is a health shock, which will stretch the resources of our health care system to its limit. It is a global economic shock, which will substantially reduce global economic growth and consequently external demand, and it is a domestic economic shock, because our domestic responses will reduce economic activity, both from a demand side and a supply side.

In situations such as this, we know that the health and lives of our fellow South Africans must come first. An out-of-control pandemic would hit the economy extremely hard. It is increasingly clear that, led by our President, we have chosen the right path.

The figures presented by the Minister of Health and his team yesterday show that we are indeed ‘flattening the curve’. Across the world, as of 10:30 am this morning, globally there have been 1.9 million coronavirus cases, and 119,806 deaths. 453,308 people have recovered.

In South Africa, we have kept cases down and deaths down. Our curve is not rising exponentially, indeed at this point it has a welcome kink.

President Ramaphosa has extended the lockdown by a further two weeks until the end of April. We continue to reiterate pleas calling on all South Africans to stay at home unless it is necessary for them to be outside.

The health of our people, and their lives, must come first. But we must also ensure that we protect their livelihoods.

The economic outlook
Our health approach to this lockdown is ‘data-dependent’. Similarly, our economic response will be data-dependent, and we will evaluate and update our response on a continuous basis.
A short while ago, the Monetary Policy Committee reduced interest rates by a further 100 basis points. Their flexibility, and willingness to act speedily is similar to the approach of many other  central banks.

Going into this health care crisis, the economy was already in recession. Without doubt, given what we know since February, COVID-19 will certainly further deepen the South African downturn woes.

Our internal scenario planning has mapped out the economic impact of different lockdown scenarios, together with the consequent different paths for the fiscal deficit, for government borrowing and for the fiscal response.

At this stage, our central scenario is for a deep recession in 2020, followed by a rapid upswing in economic growth.

Critically, the path relies on an understanding of how the global economy will adjust.

We are in constant conversation with the teams at multilateral bodies, domestic and local economists, and of course the South African Reserve Bank. We are also monitoring domestic and global high frequency data to ensure that we understand as well as we can the ongoing evolution of the economy. Our sophisticated banking and payment system provides us with near real time payment data. This shows a substantial reduction in transactions in retail, hospitality and food and drink. There was a spike in activity in food (and alcohol) sales prior to the lockdown, and in the first
weekend of the lockdown, but these have now settled. In addition, there was large ATM activity in the first weekend, but now things have normalised.

This provides inputs into our forecasting process. The forecasts we have been receiving so far vary from the optimistic to the deeply pessimistic. On the relatively optimistic side, the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has highlighted that economic growth in South Africa will shrink by less than other emerging markets, in part because South Africa is not a net oil exporter.

The International Monetary Fund’s April 2020 World Economic Outlook will be released later today. Current estimates from the IMF show global growth contracting this year by about 2.9 per cent.

For South Africa, their initial estimate was for an economic contraction of 5.8 per cent. Other estimates vary.

The most recent official sector forecast is that issued by the South African Reserve Bank a few minutes ago. The Bank expects GDP in 2020 to contract by 6.1 per cent, compared to the -0.2 per cent expected just three weeks ago. GDP is expected to grow by 2.2 per cent in 2021 and by 2.7 per cent in 2022.

The Bank’ s headline consumer price inflation forecast averages 3.6 per cent for 2020, 4.5 per cent for 2021, and 4.4 per cent in 2022. The forecast for core inflation is lower at 3.8% in 2020, 4.0 per cent in 2021, and 4.2 per cent in 2022.

But like I have alluded to in the past, every crisis is an opportunity for us to address our problems and challenges.

The pandemic, and the response to the pandemic, will cause major disruptions to global supply chains. Lockdowns in many countries will reduce consumption, and consequently global demand. This will reduce our exports. Global growth has been revised sharply lower. Our economy is also highly dependent on services, particularly tourism. These will be affected by the global travel ban. These are only two examples of how we will be affected by a complex and unfolding global emergency.

As a small open economy we regularly experience external shocks. For this reason, we have chosen a flexible exchange rate as an automatic stabilser, and monetary policy framework that is  anchored by an inflation target.

This approach has served us well in the past, through many crises, and it is serving us well at present.

In line with the experience of other emerging markets – and similar to other shocks we have experienced in the past – the exchange rate has depreciated significantly and bond yields have risen. Despite historic levels of volatility, the National Treasury has continued borrowing in the domestic market, albeit at record high yields. Due to Treasury’s prudent long-term borrowing strategy, these higher yields will only slowly feed through into higher borrowing costs.

In addition, Government has significant cash buffers available. These can be deployed should there be a significant prolonged disruption in markets.

PHASE 1 OF THE ECONOMIC POLICY RESPONSE
When the lockdown was announced, we acted immediately to announce a set of Phase 1 economic measures.
These included:
1. Immediate release of funds to where they were needed
2. An Instruction Note 8 of 2019/20 applicable to Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) institutions and a Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) Circular 100 for municipalities and municipal entities, to speed up the procurement of goods/commodities required to reduce and control the spread of the virus.

3. A first set of exceptional tax measures as part of the fiscal package. These measures are over and above the tax proposals made in the 2020 Budget on 26 February 2020. The tax adjustments are made in light of the National State of Disaster and due to the significant and potentially lasting negative impacts on the economy from the spreading of the COVID-19 virus.

4. The Office of the Auditor General announced a conditional Exemption Notice in order to ensure effective and efficient service delivery and to minimise any potential delay in decision making. The conditional Exemption Notice will also facilitate and enable legislative processes during the period of the national state of disaster.

All these measures are available on the National Treasury’s website.

Banking and finance market interventions
The banking and finance industry have also taken a steps to help ease the impact of COVID-19

South Africa has a safe, sound, well-regulated and resilient financial sector. We have deep and liquid markets. Since the global financial crisis, we have taken steps to strengthen the banking system, including increasing capital, improving liquidity and reducing leverage. As a result, the banking and financial system is particularly resilient.

To support the real economy, the following steps have been taken by the South African Reserve Bank:

1. In line with its Constitutional mandate, the South African Reserve Bank cut the repo rate initially by 100 basis points and an additional 100 bps a short while ago. This will put money straight back into the economy.

2. The Bank has also proactively provided additional liquidity to the financial system. This includes purchasing of government bonds in the secondary market to ensure that there is sufficient liquidity in the government bond market.

3. Regulatory requirements are expected to release lending of up to R550 billion into the economy, including a reduction in capital requirements of R30.7 billion in capital and a reduction in liquidity requirements. In addition, up to R3 trillion in total exposures will benefit from changes to rules around restructuring.

4. Guidance to reduce dividends and bonuses will ensure that banks use capital wisely.

As the President highlighted in his address, Many large institutions have used force majeure to stop paying suppliers. Those who can, should continue to pay (on top of salaries) their suppliers and rentals, to ensure that the underlying economy continues to function and to focus support on those small businesses that really need them. The measures we have announced will assist with cash flow, the aim is to maintain productive capacity, and income for employees.

Banking
In the spirit of working together with Government, the largest banks have announced a number of measures to help their customers, including Instalment reductions, interest and fee deferrals, extension of loan terms, processes to help qualifying customers access debt relief packages like the South African Future Trust and government SME relief schemes, fee waivers and other relief efforts.

Insurance
Insurance companies have made a number of interventions. These vary across different companies, such as:

• Premium holidays and premium deferrals on a case by case basis
  
• Paying suppliers in shorter periods to assist with improved cash flow in the system.
  
• Pre-payment of claims or parts thereof before final assessment and increasing the “grace” period for premium payment.
• Business interruption claims due to COVID-19 to be considered on a case by case basis, and working on clear guidance on how pandemic exemptions will work
  
• Reduced excesses; and
  
•  Leniencies on missed debits
  

PHASE 2 OF THE ECONOMIC POLICY RESPONSE
This was only the first phase of our response. In light of our data-dependent approach, we are working tireless to develop an a phase 2 set of interventions.

Most importantly, the crisis is an important opportunity for government to implement structural reforms to: Restructure the network industries; Liberate SMMEs to be the engines of growth and employment; and Broad-based measures to lower the cost of doing business.

We will naturally revise our fiscal framework to take into account the effect of COVID- 19 on the fiscus.

There are a number of elements to our fiscal response:
1. Putting forward clear estimates of the additional health care costs that will be needed
2. Reprioritising unnecessary expenditure towards these health care costs
3. The impact of slowdown on our projections for revenue
4. It should be costed as much as possible (how much is needed?);
5. It should be temporary (clear timeline of 1 year);
6. It must be crafted as a 3rd line of defence for the vulnerable
7. A clear plan to restore fiscal sustainability and limit the pace of debt accumulation and the growth of contingent liabilities
8. Supported by an economic recovery plan (structural reforms) and a set of reforms within the fiscal system e.g. clarity on road tolling, reforming the road accident fund in order to unlock that revenue for the fiscus and core government priorities, and consolidation of public entities and reviewing our portfolio of state-owned enterprises.

Together with my colleagues in the economic cluster, have put together a few proposals on how we can further grow the economy. These will announced shortly. Amongst the measures we are looking is expanded support for SMME lending through the banking system, similar to in other countries.

Government, through National Treasury, is exploring all funding avenues to finance all Covid-19 related programmes and measures aimed at addressing the pandemic. The funding avenues will not be limited locally, but will include exploring all global partners and international finance institutions. Funding transactions will be announced officially once concluded.

Going back to opportunities emerging from this crisis, we as the government have reiterated, the commitment to implement structural economic reforms to address the weak economic growth, constrained fiscus and ailing state-owned companies.

The Covid-19 pandemic and measures taken to address its spread have had a substantial negative impact on economic growth and government’s fiscal position. The pre-existing fiscal position was precarious, and we must ensure that whatever we do does not harm our long-run fiscal sustainability. The fiscus’ ability to respond to crisis is weak.

The 2020 Budget was already mildly expansionary and supportive of growth. In particular, the fiscal consolidation path was designed to strengthen our fiscal health. Fiscal health is a necessary, but not sufficient condition, for sustained growth.

Several priority areas were growing at above inflation rates including capital spending. Beyond the COVID crisis, a major risk facing the economy and the focus is if long-run economic growth returns to the pre-crisis averages of between 1 to 2 per cent. Higher levels of economic growth need to become a non-negotiable objective.

In the absence of urgent structural reforms, the considerable fiscal actions to mitigate the current crisis may leave the focus on at the edge of a cliff. For example, we must, without any hesitation, act to implement the President’s announcements on electricity, and rapidly work to implementing the range of reforms that we had already set out.

Message by President Cyril Ramaphosa on COVID-19 Pandemic

Message by President Cyril Ramaphosa on COVID-19 Pandemic

THURSDAY, 9 APRIL 2020

My Fellow South Africans,

At midnight tonight, it will be exactly two weeks since our country entered into an unprecedented nation-wide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

During the course of these last two weeks, your lives have been severely disrupted, you have suffered great hardship and endured much uncertainty.

We have closed our borders to the world, our children are not in school, businesses have closed their operations, many have lost their income, and our economy has ground to a halt.

And yet, faced with such daunting challenges, you, the people of South Africa, have responded with remarkable patience and courage.

You have respected the lockdown and largely observed the regulations.

You have accepted the severe restrictions on your movement and many of the daily freedoms that we all take for granted.

You have done so because you have understood the devastating effect that this disease will have on the health and well-being of all South Africans unless we take drastic measures.

You have also understood that we must do everything in our power to prevent the massive loss of life that would occur if we did not act.

For your cooperation, for your commitment and above all for your patience, I wish to thank you personally.
I wish to thank you for reaffirming to each other and to the world that we South Africans are a people who come together and unite at moments of great crisis.

Earlier today I had a most productive meeting with our Premiers about the work they are doing in provinces and districts to stop the spread of the virus.

I also had a discussion with the leaders of all our political parties represented in Parliament, who collectively pledged their support for the efforts that are being made to combat the pandemic.

Through this we are demonstrating that we are able to work together across party lines to confront a common threat.

Since I announced the lockdown just over two weeks ago, the global coronavirus pandemic has worsened.

Two weeks ago, there were 340,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the world.

We now have over 1.5 million confirmed cases worldwide.

Over 90,000 people across the world have died from this disease.

The health systems of many countries have been overwhelmed.

Even the most developed economies in the world have not had the means to treat the many thousands who have fallen ill.

They have struggled to find the medical supplies and personnel necessary to deal with the pandemic.

The devastating effect of this is that many people have died.

The global evidence is overwhelming.

It confirms that our decision to declare a national state of disaster and to institute a nation-wide lockdown was correct and it was timely.

While it is too early to make a definitive analysis of the progression of the disease in South Africa, there is sufficient evidence to show that the lockdown is working.

Since the lockdown came into effect, the rate at which new cases have been identified here in South Africa has slowed significantly.

From 1,170 confirmed cases on the 27th of March, the number of confirmed cases today stands at 1,934.

In the two weeks before the lockdown, the average daily increase in new cases was around 42%.

Since the start of the lockdown, the average daily increase has been around 4%.

While we recognise the need to expand testing to gain a better picture of the infection rate, this represents real progress.

The measures we have taken – such as closing our borders and prohibiting gatherings – as well as the changes that we have each had to make in our own behaviour, have definitely slowed the spread of the virus.

But the struggle against the coronavirus is far from over.

We are only at the beginning of a monumental struggle that demands our every resource and our every effort.

We cannot relax. We cannot be complacent.

In the coming weeks and months, we must massively increase the extent of our response and expand the reach of our interventions.

We are learning both from the experiences of other countries and from the evidence we now have about the development of the pandemic in South Africa.

Both make a clear and compelling case to proceed in a manner that is cautious and properly calibrated.

Simply put, if we end the lockdown too soon or too abruptly, we risk a massive and uncontrollable resurgence of the disease.

We risk reversing the gains we have made over the last few weeks, and rendering meaningless the great sacrifices we have all made.

Fellow South Africans,

This evening, I stand before you to ask you to endure even longer.

I have to ask you to make even greater sacrifices so that our country may survive this crisis and so that tens of thousands of lives may be saved.

After careful consideration of the available evidence, the National Coronavirus Command Council has decided to extend the nation-wide lockdown by a further two weeks beyond the initial 21 days.

This means that most of the existing lockdown measures will remain in force until the end of April.

We will use the coming days to evaluate how we will embark on risk-adjusted measures that can enable a phased recovery of the economy, allowing the return to operation of certain sectors under strictly controlled conditions.

We will also use this time to ramp up our public health interventions.

We did not take this decision to extend the lockdown lightly.

As your President, I am mindful of the great and heavy burden this will impose on you.

I am keenly aware of the impact this will have on our economy.

But I know, as you do, that unless we take these difficult measures now, unless we hold to this course for a little longer, the coronavirus pandemic will engulf, and ultimately consume, our country.

We all want the economy to come back to life, we want people to return to work, we want our children to go back to school, and we all want to be able to move freely again.

But 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 collapsing and saving our people from hunger.

We are determined to pursue a path that both saves lives and protects livelihoods.

Our strategy is made up of three parts:

– Firstly, an intensified public health response to slow down and reduce infections.

– Secondly, a comprehensive package of economic support measures to assist businesses and individuals affected by the pandemic.

– Thirdly, a programme of increased social support to protect poor and vulnerable households.

As government, together with our many partners, we have used this lockdown period to both refine and intensify our public health strategy to manage the coronavirus.

Our approach is to screen in communities and test people in hospitals, clinics and mobile clinics, to isolate those who are infected, and to care for those who are ill in our health facilities.

We need to do this intensively and systematically.

We have used the last week to develop our screening and testing methodology in various parts of the country.

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.

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.

At all times, we will observe the human rights of all people.

Let us not discriminate against people who test positive.

To ensure that our strategies are effectively coordinated and to ensure they are informed by comprehensive, real-time data, we have established the COVID-19 Information Centre at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.

This world-class centre will keep track of all screening, testing, isolation and hospitalisation throughout the country.

It is already identifying infection hotspots.

It is following the spread and the severity of the disease, and enabling us to move our focus and resources where they are most needed.

We are working with mobile telephony companies and other institutions to locate those people who have tested positive for the virus and those with whom they have been in contact.

As part of the second element of our strategy, we have put in place various measures to provide support to businesses in distress, to workers facing loss of income, to the self-employed and to informal businesses.

Many of these measures are being taken up by both large and small businesses.

The Unemployment Insurance Fund has set aside R40 billion to help employees who will be unable to work, as part of the effort to prevent jobs losses as a result of the lockdown.

To date, it has paid out R356 million.

I would like to applaud all those employers who have continued to pay their workers during this difficult time, as well as those employers who are working with unions and government to assist their employees to access these benefits.

I would like to call on all businesses to continue to pay their suppliers, to the extent that they can, to ensure that those suppliers can also continue to operate and pay their staff and suppliers.

In this respect, I would like to appeal to all large businesses not to resort to force majeure and stop paying their suppliers and rental commitments, as such practice has a domino effect on all other businesses dependent on that chain.

We must do all we can to ensure that the underlying economy continues to function and to focus support on those small businesses that really need them.

The Industrial Development Corporation has set aside R3 billion for the procurement of essential medical supplies.

It has already approved R130 million in funding and expects to approve a further R400 million in the coming week to companies who applied for funding under this special facility.

The Small Enterprise Finance Agency has approved the postponement of loan repayments for a period of 6 months.

The small business debt relief and business growth facilities are currently adjudicating applications for assistance.

There is a total of R500 million available in support.

Government has reprioritised R1.2 billion to provide relief to smallholder farmers and to contribute to the security of food supply.

In addition to these expenditure measures, the Reserve Bank has also lowered interest rates and has taken measures to inject liquidity into the economy.

One of the biggest challenges that all countries in the world are facing is the shortage of medical supplies to fight the coronavirus.

As a country we have had to rely on our own capabilities to supply these goods, but have also had to source supplies from other countries.

In recent weeks, we have seen a massive mobilisation of South African business, labour, academics and government agencies to build the stocks of medical and other equipment needed to fight coronavirus.

We have, for example, established the National Ventilator Project to rapidly mobilise the technical and industrial resources of our country to manufacture non-invasive ventilators, which can be used to support patients afflicted with the disease.

Other projects are focusing on increasing the local manufacture of protective face masks, hand sanitisers and pharmaceutical products which can be used by health care workers and the public at large.

As the third part of our coronavirus response, we have been working to provide basic needs such as water and to maintain the reliability of food supply to the poorest South Africans.

We have also expanded the provision of food parcels and we’ve provided spaza shops with financial support.

To date, government has delivered over 11,000 water storage tanks to communities in need across the country, and many of these have been installed.

In addition, 1,000 water tankers have been provided for the delivery of water.

Several homeless people have been accommodated in 154 shelters.

I am pleased to report that the Solidarity Fund – 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.

It will also allocate funds for humanitarian relief to vulnerable households, in addition to the R400 million set aside by government for Social Relief of Distress grants.

All of these efforts, while necessary and commendable, will not be sufficient on their own to cushion the poor from the impact of this pandemic.

Nor will they provide the relief that businesses and their employees require.

Additional extraordinary measures will need to be put in place in the coming weeks and months to absorb the sudden loss of income to both businesses and individuals.

We are in a situation that demands swift action and exceptional methods, a situation that demands innovation and the mobilisation of every resource that we have.

Cabinet will be developing a comprehensive package of urgent economic measures to respond both to the immediate crisis and to the severe economic challenges that we must confront in the months ahead.

Further announcements on the next phase of our economic and social support strategy will be made in due course.

An essential part of our response to this emergency is the principle of solidarity.

From across society, companies and individuals have come forward to provide financial and other assistance.

In support of this effort, we have decided that the President, Deputy President, Ministers and Deputy Ministers will each take a one-third cut in their salaries for the next three months.

This portion of their salaries will be donated to the Solidarity Fund.

We are calling on other public office bearers and executives of large companies to make a similar gesture and to further increase the reach of this national effort.

In this regard, we welcome the donation of 20,000 cellphones by Vodacom for health workers that will be involved in screening and tracing in communities.

As we have stressed before and we will stress once again, our struggle against the coronavirus requires fundamental changes in behaviour from all of us.

Until we have contained the coronavirus, the same rules remain.

Shaking hands, hugging, sitting close to each other and other forms of physical contact enable this virus to be transmitted, and must be avoided.

We must continue to wash our hands regularly and thoroughly using water and soap or sanitiser.

To stay safe and to keep others safe we must continue to respect whatever restrictions that are placed on our movement and on our daily lives

Over the past two weeks, I have been speaking to other African leaders about a coordinated continental effort to combat the coronavirus and support our people and our economies.

We have established an AU COVID-19 Response Fund to mobilise the resources necessary to support this effort.

We have reached out to world leaders, even as they struggle with the pandemic in their countries, to assist the continent with essential medical supplies and to support a comprehensive stimulus package for Africa.

As we confront this disease in our country, we are part of a great global effort that is bringing humanity together in ways that many never thought possible.

For billions across the world, and for us here in South Africa, the coronavirus pandemic has changed everything.

We can no longer work in the way we have before.

As government, as NGOs, as political parties, as large corporations and small businesses, as financial institutions, as community organisations and as South Africans we will need to adapt to a new reality.

As we emerge from this crisis, our country will need to undergo a process of fundamental reconstruction.

To do so, we will draw on our strengths: our abundant natural resources, our advanced infrastructure, our deep financial markets, our proven capabilities in information and communication technology, and the depth of talent among our people.

We will draw on our proven capacity for innovation and creativity, our ability to come together in a crisis, and our commitment to each other and our common future.

We will learn from global experience and the best scientific evidence, but we will craft a uniquely South African response that uses our own capabilities as a nation.

This weekend is a sacred time for many South Africans.

For many, it will be difficult to spend this time without their friends and family.

I ask that you keep in your thoughts tonight all in our land who are vulnerable, destitute and alone.

I ask that you give what you can to alleviate their burden.

To contribute to the Solidarity Fund in any way you can.

This is a difficult time for us all.

Yet the message of Easter is one we carry in our hearts tonight.

It is the message of hope, of recovery and of rebirth.

As we walk this road together, as we struggle to defeat this pandemic, we remain strong and united and resolved.

Much is being asked of you, far more than should ever be asked.

But we know that this is a matter of survival, and we dare not fail.

We shall recover.

We shall overcome.

May God bless South Africa and protect her people.

I thank you.

Critical PPE secured for frontline healthcare workers

Critical PPE secured for frontline healthcare workers

Together the Motsepe Foundation and associated companies, Business for South Africa and the Solidarity Fund have secured critical stock of 200 000 three ply masks, 100 000 KN95 masks and sterile gloves and surgical masks for use by frontline doctors, nurses and healthcare workers.

This stock is immediately available in South Africa, and will be prioritised for use in the public healthcare sector across the country.

This forms part of Government and the Business sector’s key objective to ensure there is a consistent, forward-looking supply of critical personal protective equipment (PPE) in South Africa to protect healthcare workers who are working tirelessly to ensure the public remains safe during this unprecedented global healthcare crisis.

The Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, was joined by the Deputy Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla and the MEC of Health in Gauteng Dr Bandile Masuku at the Motsepe Foundation to ceremoniously receive the consignment that will be handed over to the Department of Health. “Ultimately, this is about our valued health care workers. Business and Government have come together because we all share the concerns of Unions and our workers that health workers must be protected as they fight Coronavirus at the frontlines. No health care workers will be fielded without PPE’s and adequate training because we need our workers healthy and protected,” he said.

Dr Patrice Motsepe, Chairman of the Motsepe Foundation, said “We are most grateful to the health workers for their sacrifices and commitment to provide treatment and to help patients and other South Africans to overcome the coronavirus pandemic.   We would also like to thank the President and the Ministers of Health and Trade, Industry and Competition, for their outstanding leadership during these challenging times.  South Africans, including business and labour, have come together in the true spirit of Ubuntu, compassion and selflessness.  The Motsepe family and companies that we are associated with, will continue to do everything possible to assist health workers, poor rural and urban communities and all South Africans to prevail over the current coronavirus pandemic.”

Business for South Africa’s Health Workgroup’s key priority is to support Government and the country’s healthcare workers by ensuring there is a consistent supply of critical protective equipment necessary to keep them safe during the pandemic.  This includes global sourcing of PPE, of which significant orders have already been placed and which have already begun landing in South Africa; accelerating local production of critical equipment; and issuing an ongoing call to all companies and industries across South Africa who have access to PPE stocks, to urgently donate or divert them in the national interest.  Companies that have stocks are asked to email: covid19supplies@businessresponsecovid19.co.za

Mr Stavros Nicolaou, who leads the Business for South Africa’s Health Workgroup, comments: “One of our most critical objectives in turning the tide against the pandemic is to ensure the full availability and productivity of our health workforce.  This week is International Health Workers’ Week.  On behalf of every person in South Africa, we would like to thank all our doctors, nurses and community healthcare workers for their unconditional commitment to ensuring South Africans remain safe.  Their devotion to their work and to South Africa is deeply appreciated.”

The occasion poignantly fell on World Health Day which focuses on the role of Nurses and Midwives in the health care sector. As the World Health Organisation releases the first World State of Nursing Report, major efforts worldwide are being undertaken to secure the safety of health care workers globally. South Africa, like all countries, grapples to protect its own workforce in an increasingly volatile environment- the Minister elaborated on these dynamics: “…such strategic relationships with business and our favorable relations with key countries like China and India, who are the biggest manufacturers of PPE’s, are what enable us to secure stock in an increasingly competitive environment. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the Motsepe Family, Stavros Nicoloau and the entire business and donor community for these timely and gracious interventions.”

Interventions to assist South Africa’s agricultural sector during COVID-19

Interventions to assist South Africa’s agricultural sector during COVID-19

The Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Ms Thoko Didiza, MP is pleased to announce the department’s interventions to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19.

The department has ring-fenced R1.2 billion for assistance to mainly target financially distressed small-scale farmers. Of the R1.2 billion, R400 million has been allocated for farmers within the Proactive Land Acquisition Strategy (PLAS) programme and the remainder will be channelled towards all other farmers that are mainly within the following commodity sectors:

· Poultry: Day old chicks, Point of lay chickens, feed, medication and sawdust;

· Other Livestock: Feed and medication.

· Vegetables: Seedlings, fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides and soil correction.

· Other commodity sectors will be evaluated on a case by case basis, as the Department continuously monitors the impact of COVID-19 on the sector at large.

Qualifying criteria for farmers

· South African citizens who have been actively farming for a minimum of 12 months and currently in the production season or cycle.

· Be registered on farmer register, commodity database or provincial database [Those who are not on the Farmer Register will be registered to benefit].

· Communal farmers.

· Smallholder farmers with annual turnover between R50 000 and R1 million.

· The adjudication will prioritise women, youth and people with disabilities.

Exclusions

Mechanisation, infrastructure and overhead costs will NOT be supported. This is not comprehensive support but intervention package amid COVID-19.

Farmers who are preparing for the 2020 summer production season will not be supported. The aim is to provide immediate to near-term support to smallholder farmers currently affected by COVID-19.

Farmers who are currently receiving support through other programmes of government and its entities.

No payment for debts.

The applications for this funding will be open from 08 April 2020 and will close on 22 April 2020. No late entries will be accepted. Application forms will be available on 08 April 2020 on the departmental website – www.dalrrd.gov.za and through national, provincial, district and local offices of both the national Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development and Provincial Departments of Agriculture. Applications will be lodged electronically at applications@dalrrd.gov.za or submitted to the offices as outlined.

The Minister wishes to also encourage all stakeholders within the sector to observe and implement regulations as published by Government Notice No. 318 of 18 March 2020, as amended by Government Notices Nos. R 398 of 25 March 2020 and R419 of 26 March 2020. The observation and implementation of these prescripts on health and occupational safety is also critical for the farmworkers, who are the backbone of the food supply system.

“I urge all employers within the sector to fully comply with all the applicable prescripts. Together, as stakeholders within the sector we have a mandate to ensure that there is access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food for our country,” said Minister Didiza.

END

What measures are being taken to protect jobs and livelihoods and support the economy during the COVID-19 epidemic?

What measures are being taken to protect jobs and livelihoods and support the economy during the COVID-19 epidemic?

Access to credit and financial markets:
– The Reserve Bank has reduced interest rates by 100 basis points, making it easier for consumers and firms to access credit.
– A range of measures have been taken to support market liquidity and protect the banking system.

Support for businesses:
– The Employment Tax Incentive has been expanded to include all employees earning below R6,500 with a subsidy of R500, relieving the burden on businesses as they face a decline in revenue due to the lockdown.

– Businesses with a turnover of less than R50 million will be allowed to delay their PAYE tax payments over the next four months, and their provisional corporate income tax payments over the next six months, without penalties.

– The Department of Small Business Development has allocated R500 million to assist SMEs whose operations are affected by COVID-19.

– The Industrial Development Corporation has allocated R3 billion in funding for firms who produce essential goods to scale up their operations.

– The South Africa Future Trust has been established to provide a further R1billion in zero-interest loan funding to SMEs in distress.

– All major banks have announced options for payment holidays and debt restructuring for SMEs and individuals who cannot meet their obligations.

Support for workers and individuals:
– The Unemployment Insurance Fund has created a special COVID-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme with over R30 billion to provide income support to workers where employers are unable to pay their full salaries due to the lockdown.

– The Department of Social Development, working with community-based organisations and the Solidarity Fund, is scaling up its food distribution programme for households in need.

I am a business owner. How can I access support during the lockdown?

If you cannot pay the full salaries of your employees:
• Apply for the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s COVID-19 TERS benefit by sending an email to covid19ters@labour.gov.za. You will receive an automated reply with instructions on how to proceed. The fund will contribute a portion of the employee’s salary up to a maximum of R17,712 per month for each employee.

If you are in financial distress and require grant or loan funding:
• You must register on https://smmesa.gov.za/ to be eligible for funding from the Debt Relief Finance Scheme. Once you have registered, you can download the application form on https://smmesa.gov.za/ or www.sefa.org.za and email it to smmerelief@sefa.org.za.

• Apply for relief funding from the South Africa Future Trust directly through your bank. If you have an account with Standard Bank, FNB, Absa or Nedbank, contact your bank to find out how to access this facility. Visit https://oppgen.com/saft/ for more information about the scheme.
If you have an account with Nedbank, visit https://www.nedbank.co.za/content/nedbank/desktop/gt/en/business/covid-19-relief1/SAFT1
If you have an account with Standard Bank, visit https://www.standardbank.co.za/southafrica/business/covid-19/south-african-future-trust
• Contact the bank where you have an existing account to enquire about payment holidays and options for debt restructuring.

If you produce an essential good or service and require funding to scale up your operations:
• Apply to the Industrial Development Corporation for working capital, loan or trade finance to support your operations. Email covid@idc.co.za, call 0860 693 888,
or visit https://www.idc.co.za/2020/03/24/idc-interventions-in-response-to-covid-19/ for more information.

Statement of the Minister of Health Launch of Mobile Laboratories National Health Laboratory Services

Statement of the Minister of Health Launch of Mobile Laboratories National Health Laboratory Services

1 April 2020

Let me start by conveying our deepest shock and sadness at the loss of Professor Gita Ramjee, one of our top vaccine research scientist and an HIV prevention research leader. She had returned from London a week ago but reportedly showed no symptoms of COVID-19 initially. We convey our condolences to her family, loved ones and colleagues- this is indeed a great loss for the South African academic community.

As at today, the total confirmed COVID-19 cases are at 1380. This is an increase of 27 cases from yesterday’s announcement:

The Provincial breakdown is as follows:

To date 44292 people have been tested largely in private laboratories. A total of 47541 tests have been completed, of which about 6000 were performed in the public National Health Laboratory
Service.

This is way too few considering the size of our population and other important factors such as inequality, poverty and underlying disease burden we have.

The President has approved a “COVID Home Visits Program”, of mass community-based screening, referral for clinic testing, quarantine of suspected cases and appropriate care for COVID-19 patients.

The program includes the deployment of Community Health Care Workers to the field for door-todoor household screening. Each province has been requested to start working on this strategy, by
deploying provincial community health care workers with, appropriate Personal Protective Equipment, to undertake a house-to-house programme of “no-touch” screening for COVID-19 symptoms and to refer symptomatic people to clinics for testing.

In addition, PEPFAR- funded District Support Partners to support provinces in this Program have been availed.

The CSIR and Right to Care have assisted us in mapping the most vulnerable populations- through this process 993 strategic priority wards were identified using the social vulnerability index.
We take this opportunity to thank these partners for joining us in the war against COVID-19. Tonight, a list of priority districts will be finalized by MECs in a teleconference.

LAUNCH OF MOBILE TESTING UNITS
To ensure there is adequate capacity to test citizens being screened, the NHLS has procured 60 mobile vans, in addition to the 7 currently deployed to provinces, totaling 67 mobile testing units.
Today, we are here to launch these mobile laboratories that will be deployed across the country to all districts and metropolitan municipalities.

At this stage, the focus will be on collecting nasopharyngeal specimens for PCR tests or GeneXpert testing. The current capacity is 5000 tests in 24 hours in 10 laboratories countrywide- when we reach full capacity we will be able to process 30 000 tests per 24 hours.

Rapid antibody tests have been used in many countries throughout the world and we are aware that there is interest in using these tests in South Africa. Our authorities are working round the clock to assess the efficacy of these tests in our context with the aim to make them available for future application.

MESSAGE TO MECS
This morning I sent a per my personal message MECs as colleagues and leaders in this fight to save our nation from probably the most devastating enemy that has ravaged many nations and destroyed many lives in recent times

I send this note as a way to encourage them all to be strong in the face of what may become the worst challenge our country may face for generations. I believe that if we are focused and united we can collectively defeat COVID 19.

We have seen a slower growth of COVID 19 positive cases in the past few days I ascribe this to several factors:
Firstly we closed borders and reduced importation of infection
Secondly, enforcing quarantine of the inbound travelers and returning citizens has slowed down the infection from the traveling community to a resident community
Thirdly the lockdown slowed internal transmission by reducing the risk of spread through large gatherings and overcrowded transport routes in trains buses and taxis

However there are areas we must be alert to. We need more vigilance now than ever before Internal transmission has started and it may have tendency to spread silently as people with less means and slight symptoms may be slow to seek medical help as they are few and far apart initially.

Our testing criteria of patients with symptoms is currently reactive and restrictive By and large, people with access to private family practitioners have tested- most of whom had history of travel to epicenters in western capitals and are easy to suspect if they develop symptoms This means we don’t yet have a true picture of the size of the problem We need to test hundreds of thousands of the population to get a better picture to refine our containment strategy The lockdown may have had the inadvertent effect of limiting access to health facilities for those who depend on public health services in poor and densely populated and underserved communities because of transport difficulties.

This means that the release of a lockdown may have a huge rebound effect of releasing every constraint that made the infection slowdown and we may have a runaway train with no way to apply
brakes.

We need to engage all community leaders and call for volunteers in community and civil society formations to support the campaign, spread the message and teach our people to take the containment measures seriously and support all affected individuals and families.

The message of stay at home and importance of hygiene must be made more emphatically. The message must be that COVID-19 is serious but can be defeated and we need each person to make this a personal fight to save the nation.

Those on antiretroviral treatment and other chronic ailments must stick strictly to their medication.

Each person’s actions will count
Let us break the chain of the coronavirus infection.
Next month the flu season starts, thus making more people sick with similar symptoms, and therefore no way of distinguishing common colds from an upsurge of COVID-19 infection.

These will flood our clinics and hospitals and create fertile ground for Coronavirus to spread or be masked in its presentation.

This means what we may currently be experiencing is the calm before a heavy and devastating storm.

There will therefore be no further warning before the pounding descends upon us.

There will not be time to prepare what we will not have put in place in the next seven days.

My plea to all my colleagues was to move with speed on the following:
1) Setting up of mobile units of health workers to move into communities with cases or contacts and set up testing and screening in communities initially starting with the symptomatic and then extending to the greater community. We will now procure rapid test kits, taking into account any of the flaws anyone may point out. We will roll out testing and surveillance and start isolation treatment of patients and quarantine of contacts at an accelerated pace.
This means we will go out look for and find patients and not wait for them in hospital.
We will focus on dismantling the infection cycle by proactive action, rather than a reactive approach adopted up to now. We now combine the offensive strategy with the current defensive strategy used up to now .

There must be clearly defined targets at district and sub district levels structures with a clear short command line led by experienced professionals who can take clinical decisions quickly and act on the spot.

2) We need to procure additional beds and dedicated treatment Centres where only COVID 19 patients will be treated in every town. Where necessary we will find treatment centers and places to treat near communities where the burden of infection is high

3) More quarantine beds must be identified with clear lines of control and food supplies as well as monitoring of temperatures daily, beginning with areas where the disease has been detected already.

4) Health professionals must be earmarked for release to focus on COVID 19 when the storm hits us. We are requesting reinforcements from countries such as Cuba and China via WHO and these should be expected from next week. They must find our machinery well organized to reinforce effectively.

5) Encourage the release from hospitals of those patients that can be managed as outpatients and reduce hospital patient load and risk of cross infections.

6) Every institution, that is hospitals or clinics, must do daily reports of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases and take necessary steps to protect staff and patients and prevention of further spread.

7) All treatment and PPE requirements must be stocked for several weeks of supplies. National Department of Health and Provincial Departments must assess areas where interventions are
necessary to prepare for heavy loads of patients from end of this week Protective gear must be available for all health workers and every staff member must be taught to suspect infection and prevent spread and protect themselve.

8) Gauteng, Western Cape, KwaZulu Natal and Free State must prepare dedicated capacity for additional hospital beds for COVID 19 and report progress every week.

Based on personal observations the pounding of COVID 19 has started and it will intensify from this week and we may see rising mortality rates. We are losing families friends colleagues community members health and other professionals across all age groups.

We will look at scientific models when these are ready but we now have enough evidence to indicate that unless we move fast we will soon be swarmed.

We no longer have time.
We need to be strong focused and courageous.
We need to be decisive in our actions.
We need to escalate our response to a higher level.

I appealed for a focus on implementation and less on arguments and debates.
There can never be a perfect plan in a battle. Ground experience will refine our actions. Academic debates have their place but during this ground offensive we will entertain advices that refine and
improve our effectiveness.

The country’s future will depend on our swift coordinated actions
END

South Africa’s COVID-19 testing capacity increased with 60 new mobile lab units launched

South Africa’s COVID-19 testing capacity increased with 60 new mobile lab units launched

Minister of Health Dr. Zweli Mkhize on Wednesday launched 60 new mobile laboratories to boost the country’s capacity to test for COVID-19.

During a media briefing in Johannesburg, Mkhize announced that the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) has procured 60 mobile sampling and testing units which will be deployed nationwide to all priority districts and metros.

This brings the total number of mobile testing units to 67.

Speaking at the launch, Mkhize said the mobile testing units, which are uniquely-fitted vans, have been equipped to carry out the same function as a laboratory.

“They will focus on sampling a range of specimens for PCR tests…These mobile units will also be used for rapid test kits when these become available,” Mkhize said.

South Africa currently has the capacity to conduct 5,000 tests for COVID-19 daily. However, with the addition of mobile testing units, combined with 180 testing sites and 320 testing units across the country, this number will now increase six-fold.

“44,201 people have been tested largely in private labs, of which just over 6,000 [have been tested] in public national health laboratory services. This for us is way too few for the size of the population, the inequality, poverty and the underlying burden of diseases and immune suppression that we have,” Mkhize said.

“So even though this number seems high, it is still way to low for the kind of challenges that South Africa faces.”

Mkhize will hold a teleconference with provincial MECs to identify the priority districts that the mobile testing units will be sent to.

Minister Patel announces essential service application portal

Minister Patel announces essential service application portal

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Ebrahim Patel has announced that all businesses that will be allowed to provide essential services are required to seek approval from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) in order for them to trade during the period of the lockdown in terms of the regulations published today by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Ms Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in Regulation Gazette No. 11062

Such businesses are required to apply to the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) Bizportal website at www.bizportal.gov.za and obtain a certificate from the Commission that allows them to continue trading. The Bizportal website will contain a menu icon listed as “Essential Service Businesses” through which an application can be made to the CIPC.

The application will be a simple declaration requiring minimal registration details, type of business/trade involved in, what trading name if any is used an d whether it meets the requirements contained in the essential services list, the contact details of the person applying as well as the number of employees that will be working during the lockdown period.

The CIPC registry will then pre-populate the remaining company information and email a certificate stating that the business is allowed to remain trading.

The certificate can then be used as evidence to authorities requiring same that indeed the business has been given government permission to trade and that its employees are able to have unrestricted movement ONLY in the course of that trade.

It should be stressed and noted that if you make a false application to the CIPC, and are indeed not an essential service as per the government regulations, such will be taken as a fraudulent application and will render yourself as applicant liable to criminal prosecution and sanction.

This service will be available tomorrow morning 26 March 2020 at the start of business trading hours.

Economic Mitigation and Relief Measures

Minister Mantashe meets with the mining industry to consolidate plans to deal with COVID-19

Minister Mantashe meets with the mining industry to consolidate plans to deal with COVID-19

The Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Mr Gwede Mantashe (MP), today met with the leadership of the Minerals Council in Johannesburg, to receive an update on plans in place for the sector to adequately respond to the current COVID-19 pandemic. This follows the briefing by the President of the Republic, HE Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday, wherein a comprehensive plan was outlined, detailing how the country will respond in the short to medium term.

The department’s health and safety inspectorate, working together with the mining companies and labour unions in the sector, are on high alert, and are testing the sector’s level of preparedness, with a focus on preventative control and managing any emerging risks for employees and communities in which mines operate.

Work in the industry began over a month ago after the World Health Organisation announced the outbreak, with a focus on preventative control, and managing any emerging risks.
A ten-point plan has been developed in line with the Department of Health (DoH) and National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) guidelines The Department continues to engage with the sector on – among others – use of their medical facilities for the broader communities around mining operations, as well as the use of any safe and unoccupied housing facilities for quarantine, should the need arise.

Thus far no infections have been reported in the sector.

“Working together we have made great strides on the health and safety front in the sector. We are confident that our continued partnership to proactively manage the humanitarian and economic impact of this pandemic on the sector, will go a long way,” Minister Mantashe said.

Engagements between Government and the sector are ongoing.

National Economic Development and Labour Council on measures to combat Covid-19 Coronavirus

Outcome of NEDLAC special EXCO on the Covid-19 Epidemic

We are committed together to save lives and save the economy was the message from a special Executive Council meeting of National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) convened to discuss a common programme to slow down the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Over 60 leaders from organised business, labour, government and community attended the meeting including the Presidents of both COSATU and NACTU, the leadership of BUSA and BBC and the Ministers of Labour, Trade, Industry and Competition, Finance and Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development and the Deputy Ministers of Health and Trade, Industry and Competition.

The social partners acknowledged that this situation is unprecedented and requires an unprecedented response.  “The Covid 19 crisis will require the best traditions of social partnership to ensure that we contain the spread of the virus and make every effort to protect employment, earnings and industrial output”, said the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel.

The meeting agreed to work together in the following areas to support the call of the President, Cyril Ramaphosa on 15th March 2020 for “co-operation, collaboration and common action:

• Enhancing the public health response

The social partners committed to intensifying public health messages as well as implementing the identified ways of improving hygiene to curb the spread of the virus to workplaces and into communities including through using national and local champions.

• Containing the virus

The meeting recognised the importance of tracing contacts and testing to identify people who have contracted the virus.  The social partners agreed to work together with the Department of Health to ensure that every single person who has been in contact with someone who has the virus is tracked, traced and monitored so that they can if necessary be requested to self- isolate or go into quarantine. There was also agreement on the need to make testing accessible.

• Security of health supplies and medical equipment

Ensuring the security of health supplies such as hand sanitizers, protective equipment for health professionals, and stocks for testing and treatment as well as ARV and other chronic medicines is critical.  Especially at a time when existing supply chains may be vulnerable and ineffective.

The social partners committed to working together to fast track, support and address the constraints to the importation, manufacturing and distribution of health supplies and medical equipment. In this regard, the meeting condemned panic buying which would put more and unnecessary pressures on supply chains.

• Workplace adaption

The message from the meeting was that it can’t be regarded as ‘working as usual’ in this period. Workplaces will need to adapt in different ways to respond to the Covid-19 epidemic.

Employers and trade unions agreed to work together to manage issues like a short time, shift work, changing working hours and lunch breaks to reduce too many workers congregating in one place.  There was an acknowledgement that working from home and using online and technology platforms were important, where possible.

It was recognised that in the medium term, some of these workplace adaptions can also lead to economic opportunities such as an increase in the use of electronic technology for workplace communication.

• Support workers and companies who are negatively impacted by the virus

It was acknowledged that many economic sectors and especially small and medium enterprises will be severely affected by the epidemic and that workers should not be punished by a reduction of income due to factors outside of their control.

“Employers have a legal duty of care towards their employees,” stressed the Minister of Labour, Thulas Nxesi. He indicated that the current occupational health and safety, unemployment insurance and compensation fund legislation provides for such circumstances including special leave where unemployment insurance can be claimed and where compensation can be given if an employee contracts the virus at his/her workplace.

The government indicated that they are committed to a number of additional measures to support companies and their employees who become distressed due to the negative impact of the Covid-19 epidemic including the recently established Temporary Employee Employer Relief Scheme administered jointly by the CCMA and UIF. However it was stressed that proper processes should be put in place so that these measures are not abused.

Thulani Tshufuta representing the community constituency at Nedlac stressed that there can be no place for stigmatisation and discrimination, because if this happens, then workers and community members are not likely to come forward about their symptoms of ill health.

• Macro-economic impact and potential interventions

The government indicated that they are monitoring the economic impact of the virus and noted suggestions made by the social partners regarding the economic impact of this virus at a time when our economy is already very stressed.

Finally, the meeting recognised that there were areas that needed more attention to developing mitigation measures – most pressing was ways to contain the epidemic spreading through public transport and the impact of school closures on school feeding schemes.

The meeting agreed unanimously that a Nedlac Response Team should be set up urgently to address this and take forward the other issues discussed above.  In addition, organised business and labour were urged to embark on sector-specific engagements to give effect to the common commitments agreed.

Statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on measures to combat COVID-19 epidemic

Statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on measures to combat COVID-19 epidemic

15 MARCH 2020

Fellow South Africans,

I am addressing you this evening on a matter of great national importance.

The world is facing a medical emergency far graver than what we have experi-enced in over a century.

The World Health Organisation has declared the coronavirus outbreak as a global pandemic.

There are now more than 162 000 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus across the globe.

Given the scale and the speed at which the virus is spreading, it is now clear that no country is immune from the disease or will be spared its severe impact.

Never before in the history of our democracy has our country been confronted with such a severe situation. From the start of the outbreak in China earlier this year, the South African government has put in place measures to screen visitors entering the country, to contain its spread and to treat those infected.

As of now, South Africa has 61 confirmed cases of people infected with the virus, and this number is expected to rise in the coming days and weeks. Initially, it was people who had travelled out of the country, especially from Italy, who had positively tested for the virus. It is concerning that we are now dealing with internal transmission of the virus.

This situation calls for an extraordinary response; there can be no half measures. Cabinet held a special meeting earlier today. After which, due to the serious measures we are going to announce, I have consulted the premiers.

We have decided to take urgent and drastic measures to manage the disease, protect the people of our country and reduce the impact of the virus on our society and on our economy. We have now declared a national state of disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act. This will enable us to have an integrated and coordinated disaster management mechanism that will focus on preventing and reducing the outbreak of this virus.

We will also be able to set up emergency, rapid and effective response systems to mitigate the severity of its impact. Following an extensive analysis of the progression of the disease worldwide and in South Africa, Cabinet has decided on the following measures:

Firstly, to limit contact between persons who may be infected and South African citizens
We are imposing a travel ban on foreign nationals from high-risk countries such as Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom and China as from 18 March 2020.

We have cancelled visas to visitors from those countries from today and previously granted visas are hereby revoked.

South African citizens are advised to refrain from all forms of travel to or through the European Union, United States, United Kingdom and other identified high-risk countries such as China, Iran and South Korea. This is effective immediately.

Government will continue to regularly issue travel alerts referring to specific cities, countries or regions as the situation evolves based on the risk level.

Any foreign national who has visited high-risk countries in the past 20 dayswill be denied a visa.

South African citizens returning from high-risk countries will be subjected to testing and self-isolation or quarantine on return to South Africa.

Travellers from medium-risk countries – such as Portugal, Hong Kong and Singapore – will be required to undergo high intensity screening.

All travellers who have entered South Africa from high-risk countries since mid-February will be required to present themselves for testing.

We will strengthen surveillance, screening and testing measures at OR Tambo, Cape Town and King Shaka International Airports
South Africa has 72 ports of entry in the country which are land, sea and air ports.
Of the 53 land ports, 35 will be shut down with effect from Monday 16 March.

2 of the 8 sea ports will be closed for passengers and crew changes.
Effective immediately, all non-essential travel for all spheres of government outside of the Republic is prohibited
We further discourage all non-essential domestic travel, particularly by air,rail, taxis and bus.

Secondly, it is essential therefore that we minimize the risk of the spread of this virus by limiting contact amongst groups of people.

While we appreciate the economic, religious, and cultural significance of social and community gatherings, the coronavirus is spread through contact between persons.

As we have said before, the current circumstances require extraordinary measures to curb the spread of infections. Countries that have heeded the call to implement these radical measures, have fared much better than those than do not.

Therefore to encourage social distancing Cabinet has decided on these additional measures:

Gatherings of more than 100 people will be prohibited.
Mass celebrations of upcoming national days such as Human Rights Day and other large government events will be cancelled.
Where small gatherings are unavoidable, organisers will need to put in place stringent measures of prevention and control.
Schools will be closed from Wednesday, 18 March, and will remain closed until after the Easter Weekend.
To compensate, the mid-year school holidays will be shortened by a week.

Government is working closely with colleges, universities and other public facilities such as Parliament, prisons, police stations and military installations to intensify hygiene control.

Visits to all correctional centres are suspend for 30 days with immediate effect.

Government is aware of the confirmed case of a student who has tested positive for the coronavirus at Wits University.
Those who have been in contact with the student will be quarantined.The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation is consulting with vice chancellors of universities and colleges across the country and will soon be announcing measures in this regard.

We call on all businesses including mining, retail, banking, farming to ensure that they take all necessary measures to intensify hygiene control. We also call on the management of malls, entertainment centres and other places frequented by large numbers of people to bolster their hygiene control.

Thirdly, to further strengthen our health response:
Government is strengthening its surveillance and testing systems. We are in process of identifying isolation and quarantine sites in each district and metro.
Capacity is being increased at designated hospitals in all provinces.
We are also increasing the capacity of existing contact tracing processes.
We are partnering with the private sector to set up a national tracking, tracing and monitoring system of all people infected with the coronavirus and those they have been in contact with
We are undertaking a mass communication campaign on good hygiene and effective prevention behaviour.

Therefore, we are calling on everyone to:
Wash their hands frequently with soap and water or hand sanitisers for at least 20 seconds;
Cover their nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissue or flexed elbow
Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.

In essence, we are calling for a change of behavior amongst all South Africans. We must minimise physical contact with other people, and, encourage the elbow greeting rather than shaking hands.

Because of the severity of this virus and its rapid spreading, government will make funding available to capacitate the sectors dealing with the national response to the Coronavirus outbreak.

Since the outbreak of this pandemic, our government’s response has been led by an Inter-Ministerial Committee, chaired by the Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize.

We congratulate them on the outstanding work they have done – together with their able support teams – to steer our country through this challenging and un-certain period.

As part of the intensification of this effort, we have decided to establish a National Command Council chaired by the President.
This Command Council will include, amongst others, members of the InterMinisterial Committee and will meet three times a week, to coordinate all aspects of our extraordinary emergency response.

My fellow South Africans,
In addition to the impact that this pandemic will have on health and wellbeing of our people, and the impact it will have on the day-to-day life of our society, COVID-19 will also have a significant and potentially lasting impact on our economy.

In the last few weeks, we have seen a dramatic decline in economic activity in our major trading partners, a sudden drop in international tourism and severe instability across all global markets.

The anticipated effects of the decline in exports and tourist arrivals will be exacerbated by both an increase in infections and the measures we are required to take to contain the spread of the disease.

This will have a potentially severe impact on production, the viability of businesses, job retention and job creation.

The cabinet is therefore in the process of finalising a comprehensive package of interventions to mitigate the expected impact of COVID-19 on our economy.

This package, which will consist of various fiscal and other measures, will be concluded following consultation with business, labour and other relevant institutions. It is clear that this disease will be extremely disruptive. Our priority must be to safeguard the health and well-being of all South Africans, to minimise the number of infections and to ensure all those infected get proper treatment.

While we are battling a contagious virus, perhaps the greatest dangers to our country at this time are fear and ignorance. We must appreciate the extent of the threat that this disease presents, we
must accept the anxiety that it causes, but we cannot allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by fear and panic.

We should stop spreading fake and unverified news and create further apprehension and alarm.

While we are facing a medical emergency far graver than we have experienced in recent times, we are not helpless. We have the knowledge, the means and the resources to fight this disease.
If we act swiftly, with purpose and collectively we can limit the effects of the coronavirus on our people and our country. Although we may be limiting physical contact, this epidemic has the
potential to bring us closer together.

We are responding as a united nation to a common threat. This national emergency demands cooperation, collaboration and common action. More than that, it requires solidarity, understanding and compassion. Those who have resources, those who are healthy, need to assist those who are in need and who are vulnerable.

All the institutions of the state will be mobilised to lead this effort, but, if we are to succeed, every company, trade union, NGO, university, college, school, religious group and taxi association will need to play its part.

We thank those people who suspected they may have been exposed to the virus for coming forward to be tested and for taking measures – such as self-isolation – to prevent further transmission.
We thank the medical teams around the country who are leading our response and are putting the well-being of others ahead of the risks they face themselves.

On Saturday we welcomed 104 of our compatriots who were in Wuhan City, China.
We thank the repatriation team for the task they performed with pride and efficiency to return them to the country and ultimately to their families. The repatriation has been successful and those who have returned have settled in the quarantine area.
We thank the military health officials, pilots, cabin crew and all those who participated in this exercise.
We thank the leadership and the people of Polokwane and Limpopo for warmly welcoming our fellow South Africans.
We also extend our gratitude to the staff and management of the Ranch Hotel who have accommodated our compatriots and also subjected themselves to quarantine.
We extend our appreciation too to the companies, organisations and individuals who have taken it upon themselves to disseminate information about this virus and to raise awareness.
We thank those businesses that have taken steps to protect their employees, and those unions that have taken steps to protect their members.

Ministers who are at the frontline of coordinating our response to this crisis will be briefing the nation tomorrow, where they will unpack details in relation to the measures we announced tonight.
Fellow South Africans, this is the most definitive Thuma Mina moment for our country.

I have great trust that our people will respond positively to this call to common action.

Fellow South Africans,
This epidemic will pass.
But it is up to us to determine how long it will last, how damaging it will be, and how long it will take our economy and our country to recover.
It is true that we are facing a grave emergency.
But if we act together, if we act now, and if we act decisively, we will
overcome it.
I thank you.

Summary of Inter-Ministerial Press Briefing Civitas Building 9

South Africa Coronavirus Update 9th March: Summary of Inter-Ministerial Press Briefing Civitas Building 9

On 9 March 2020, the Inter-Ministerial Committee dealing with all matters pertaining to COVID-19 met in Pretoria to address a number of emerging issues and developments in South Africa and globally. The Ministers present at the Interministerial Committee Meeting were:

• The Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize
  
• The Minister of DIRCO Ms Naledi Pandor
  
• The Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi
  
• The Minister of COGTA Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma
  
• The Minister of State Security Ms Ayanda Dlodlo
  
• The Minister of Tourism Ms Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane
  
• The Minister of Rural Development, Agriculture and Land Reform Minister Ms Thokozile Didiza

The meeting was followed by a press briefing wherein the Minister of Health gave a situational update on the current state of affairs in the country and globally. It was announced that there were four new patients who have tested COVID-19 positive, bringing the total of confirmed COVID-19 positive patients to 7:

– a 38-year-old male who was symptomatic in KZN was the first case to test on 3 March. This patient-reported 13 contacts
– A 30-year-old female who was symptomatic in Gauteng. 13 contacts reported
– A 38-year-old female who was asymptomatic in KZN. 15 contacts reported
– A 38-year-old female in KZN who was asymptomatic. 16 contacts reported
– A 38-year-old male in KZN who was asymptomatic. 15 contacts reported
– A 45-year-old male who was symptomatic in KZN. 12 contacts reported
– A 38-year-old male in KZN with mild symptoms. 21 contacts reported.

All of these patients belonged to the group that travelled to the Province of Milan in Italy on a ski trip. There were 10 members of that travelling group and one did not return to South Africa but travelled to the UK. The remaining two travellers are currently under home quarantine and await their test results which should take about 48 hours to be concluded. All the patients are currently in isolation facilities where they are being treated. All contacts have been traced and are being tested. All contacts are currently under home-based quarantine. These quarantine procedures are benchmarked against world standards for home-based quarantine and are being strictly monitored by the contact tracing team. READ MORE…

Statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Measures to Combat COVID-19 Epidemic

South Africa Coronavirus Update: Statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Measures to Combat COVID-19 Epidemic

Fellow South Africans,

I am addressing you this evening on a matter of great national importance.

The world is facing a medical emergency far graver than what we have experienced in over a century. The World Health Organisation has declared the coronavirus outbreak as a global pandemic. There are now more than 162 000 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus across the globe.

Given the scale and the speed at which the virus is spreading, it is now clear that no country is immune from the disease or will be spared its severe impact.

Never before in the history of our democracy has our country been confronted with such a severe situation. From the start of the outbreak in China earlier this year, the South African government has put in place measures to screen visitors entering the country, to contain its spread and to treat those infected. READ MORE…

South Africa Confirms 2nd COVID-19 Case

South Africa Coronavirus Update 7th March: South Africa Confirms 2nd COVID-19 Case

The Minister of Health South Africa wishes to inform all South Africans that the second case of COVID-19 has now been confirmed in South Africa. The 39-year-old lady who is from Gauteng is direct contact to the first case from KwaZulu-Natal. She was part of the group of 10 that had travelled to Italy.

The public must be notified that we have information and know the whereabouts of all the other 10 people who were part of the group that had travelled to Italy. All those who came back to South Africa, are currently being tested. We are now awaiting their test results to come out. Since being traced, they have remained in isolation to avoid any further contact with third parties. READ MORE…

South Africa to Evacuate its Nationals from China

South Africa Coronavirus Update 7th March: South Africa to Evacuate its Nationals from China

For the past three weeks, government consulting with stakeholders in the hospitality industry and all spheres of government with the view to identify suitable accommodation facilities for South African citizens who will be repatriated from Wuhan City in Hubei Province, China.

It should be remembered that the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa announced the repatriation following a cabinet decided on this course of action and after due consideration of the circumstances, including several requests from the families of South Africans in the city. READ MORE…

COVID-19 support for Feeding locals in South Africa ‘gangland

South Africa Coronavirus Update: COVID-19 support for Feeding locals in South Africa ‘gangland’

South Africa’s Marc Nicholson’s sports club is famous for its humanitarian initiatives for the locals. The soup kitchen feeds over 300 people in this neighbourhood ridden with gang violence.

This time the club has launched a daily feeding programme in the Cape Town suburb of Lavender Hill to support vulnerable groups as the country battles COVID-19.

Mark Nicholson, founder of the Lavender Hill sports and recreational foundation, spoke about the initiative: “What’s going on here is a normal day of food distribution.

“Every day, at one o’clock, we feed about 320 people. It goes up to 350 with those who come after. That’s what we do every day, as part of  Coronavirus COVID-19.” READ MORE…

First Case of COVID-19 Coronavirus Reported

South Africa Coronavirus Update: First Case of COVID-19 Coronavirus Reported

South Africa has also been affected by the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).  On March 5, 2020, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases confirmed that a suspected case of COVID-19 has tested positive. Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize confirmed that the virus spread to South Africa, with the first known patient being a male citizen, a 38-year-old male who travelled to Italy with his wife. They were part of a group of 10 people and they arrived back in South Africa on March 1, 2020.

The patient consulted a private general practitioner on March 3, with symptoms of fever, headache, malaise, a sore throat and a cough. The practise nurse took swabs and delivered it to the lab.

The patient has been self-isolating since March 3. The couple also has two children.

The Emergency Operating Centre (EOC) has identified the contacts by interviewing the patient and doctor. The tracer team has been deployed to KwaZulu-Natal with epidemiologists and clinicians from NICD. The doctor has been self-isolated as well.

This media briefing is to ensure that the public is immediately kept abreast. A press briefing will be held later after the parliamentary debate this evening to shed more light on this issue. READ MORE…