PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation on the growing number of Covid-19 cases in the country and the measures that government will put in place to curb the spread, says acting minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.
In a post-cabinet briefing on Thursday, Ntshavheni said there was growing concern among Ramaphosa’s cabinet around an increase in cases and covid-19 related deaths with an address, colloquially known as a ‘family meeting’, expected shortly.
Ntshavheni said that the cabinet was discussing further lockdown measures with health officials.
“We are as cabinet discussing the and consulting on the measures to make sure that we protect South Africans. A decision will be taken soon after the consultations and we will announce the date on which the president will hold the family meeting.
“We can confirm to South Africans that there will be a family meeting soon.”
On Tuesday (25 May), the Department of Health says that it will make recommendations to introduce further lockdown restrictions in a National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) meeting.
Department of health spokesperson Popo Maja said that the recommendations have been made by scientists on South Africa’s Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC).
He added that the department was greatly concerned about the recent rise in Cold-19 cases, with a clear increase in infections seen in recent weeks as parts of country officially enter a third wave.
Maja said that the department would highlight these concerns as well as the MAC recommendations as part of its presentation to the NCC.
While Maja could not comment on the specific interventions being considered, earlier reports have indicated that they focus on gatherings and an extended evening curfew.
He added that any further restrictions, including a possible reintroduction of controls around alcohol sales, would have to introduced by president Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet, as this is not a department of health decision.
