MINISTER in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele said on Tuesday that the recovery of South Africa’s economy following the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will now be sped up even more.
Gungubele was speaking at a media briefing with Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla.
The three were unpacking President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation last night where he announced that the country would be ending the National State of Disaster.
“We are now increasing speed in our efforts to revive our economy which has been negatively impacted by the pandemic,” he said.
The minister reflected that the measures that were taken when the first lockdown was announced were correct.
“[Monday] marked 750 days since we the country was placed under a National State of Disaster as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yesterday evening the President addressed the nation and indicated that there is no doubt that the actions that we took then as government was necessary.
“Under these prevailing circumstances, the measures that we put, as indicated by the President, were effective in slowing down the rate of infection, easing pressure on our hospitals and most importantly, providing the time needed and necessary to ready ourselves and the country.
“We were able to develop the necessary infrastructure, pool resources and coordinate our capacity to manage the large number of people who became ill,” Gungubele said.
