Nyakallo Tefu
The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans has welcomed the deployment of troops during the 21-day nationwide lockdown announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday.
As directed by Ramaphosa, the SA National Defence Force will support the police in ensuring that the measures announced to disrupt the chain of transmission of Covid-19 are implemented.
Cyril Xaba, the chairperson of the committee, said they supported the decision taken by the President.
“We call on all South Africans to fully cooperate with the directions of our troops,” said Xaba.
“These
troops, along with health workers, members of the SAPS, emergency personnel and
all those on the list of essential services who will be exempted from the
lockdown are serving the country at the risk of their health and their lives to
ensure that millions of South Africans are saved from infection. There are no
words to describe the gratitude owed to them, as citizens we need to play our
part by fully cooperating with the measures imposed.”
Meanwhile, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize confirmed on Tuesday that the number of coronavirus cases in South Africa have risen to 554.
Mkhize said five of the people who tested positive were now negative and have been sent home and that most of the patients who have tested positive are in a good condition.
“We need to flatten the curb so that the number of cases does not increase in South Africa. This means we have to behave and take certain decisions that will make it easier for us to manage it and more difficult for it to spread,” said Mkhize.
Mkhize was speaking at the inter-ministerial committee tasked with limiting the infection rate of COVID-19.
Mkhize also announced areas that the Department of Health will be focusing on during the lockdown:
* Areas where we have individuals who have been tested and are positive, that have to be taken in for treatment and they get isolated. This is so that we know they will get better and not infect other people;
* Those who were in contact with the infected need to be traced, we will test and quarantine those that need to be quarantine;
* We have had to limit the entry of people who have travelled to the high-risk areas. This is what it means to restrict travel;
* We will be dealing with internal transmission, linked to those that were abroad, even if they themselves did not travel abroad;
* Sporadic cases, this is when someone tests positive but they don’t know anyone who travelled abroad to the high-risk areas.
On Monday, Ramaphosa announced that the country will be on lockdown for 21 days in order to suppress the spread of the new coronavirus.
Department of Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel said the decision to put the country on lockdown was made based on what other countries have already done to curb the spread of the virus.
“This is what we would refer to as a smart economic plan because we cannot afford to lose too many lives at this time and so we ask South Africans to adhere to the restrictions,” said Patel.
Mkhize went on to thank church leaders for their swift action in cancelling services last week Sunday and for the upcoming Easter weekend.
“That takes care of a huge amount because, people would have moved from different parts of the country and increased the risk of the spread of COVID-19”, said Mkhize.
The health minister has emphasized that the lockdown is all about freezing movement of the virus from one person to the other.
“We need precautions because in the experience of China, the 75% of the spread happened within family settings, in other words, if someone in the family has the virus, the rest of the family is affected”, said Mkhize.
Families are reminded to ensure that hygiene is a priority and that they needed to wash their hands, cover their mouth when they cough. “We have come up with ways to lessen large movement, now people must reduce the risk between themselves,” said Mkhize.
