THEBE MABANGA
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa opened up the economy further by normalising hours of liquor trade and allowing full inward international travel, but urged South Africans to continue to observe health protocols in order to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.
The country remains on Level 1 with amended regulations ahead of the December holiday season.
By Thursday South Africa had recorded 742 394 with 92 % recoveries.
“As we transition to a new phase in our response, the only way forward is a rapid and sustained economic recovery. We are therefore working to enable all parts of the economy to return to full operation as quickly and as safely as possible,” the President said.
“We are amending the alert level 1 regulations to restore the normal trading hours for the sale of alcohol at retail outlets. This meanes liquor outlets can now open beyond 5pm on Weekdays and trade on weekends.”
“We are also opening up international travel to all countries subject to the necessary health protocols and the presentation of a negative COVID-19 certificate,” Ramaphosa announced.
“We expect that these measures will greatly assist businesses in the tourism and hospitality sectors”
When international travel resumed on the 1st of October, it was subject to a list of countries that were deemed safe to travel to and receive visitors from.
Ramaphosa noted South Africa’s evolving response to the pandemic.
“Through the various interventions that we are making to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are shifting from relief to recovery,” Ramaphosa said, noting the economic stimulus package in place since April to provide immediate relief through grants among other measures and the move to implement the reconstruction and recovery plan.
Ramaphosa said that the relief measures had staved off an immediate crisis of hunger but now had to be curtailed.
The Covid distress relief grant of R 350 benefits 6 million and is in place till the end of January.
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Temporary Employment Relief Scheme (TERS) has pad R53 billion to 4.7 million workers and has been extended to the 15th of October.
“As the economy starts to recover, many of the measures in the relief package are steadily being wound down.”
The International Monetary Fund recently warned against premature withdrawal of COVID-19 relief support.
“…support should be maintained throughout the crisis,” the IMF said.
“A premature withdrawal of support would impose further harm on livelihoods and heighten the likelihood of widespread bankruptcies, which in turn could jeopardize the recovery”
Ramaphosa noted that the country had received praise for its handling of the pandemic.
“I had a virtual meeting yesterday with several international business leaders whose companies operate in many countries across the world. They all applauded the manner in which South Africa has managed the pandemic.”
(SOURCE: INSIDE POLITICS)
