President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday that on lockdown alert level 3 alcohol will be sold under strict conditions but cigarettes will not.
Pretoria – President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday that on lockdown alert level 3 alcohol will be sold under strict conditions but cigarettes will not.
Ramaphosa was addressing the nation on Sunday night to provide an update on developments in South Africa’s risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of Covid-19.
He announced that the entire country will move to level 3 of lockdown on June 1. He said this would entail the re-opening of most of the economy and would require most civil servants to return to work. The nationwide night-time curfew would be lifted.
Ramaphosa said areas with a high incidence of coronavirus infections would be declared hotspots. These areas included Cape Town, Tshwane, Ethekwini, Ekurhuleni, Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City and would see intensive healthcare interventions.
“We are particularly concerned about the situation in the city of Cape Town and in the Western Cape in general,” Ramaphosa said.
The president’s address follows recent meetings of Cabinet, the National Coronavirus Command Council and the President’s Coordinating Council, which considered the prospects for the country’s progression from Alert Level 4 to Alert Level 3 of the national lockdown.
In recent days, President Ramaphosa has also held consultative meetings with the business, labour and community constituencies of the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac); leaders of political parties; traditional leaders; the leadership of interfaith communities; the South African Council of Churches and the tourism industry, which is the single largest source of employment in the private sector.
* For the latest on the Covid-19 outbreak, visit IOL’s special #Coronavirus page.
** If you think you have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus, please call the 24-hour hotline on 0800 029 999 or visit sacoronavirus.co.za
IOL and ANA
