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By Citizen Reporter

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Numbers to contact during Covid-19 lockdown

People will be able to leave their homes to buy food and medicine, as well as other essentials.


Government has published numbers to call during the 21 days of the country’s lockdown.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a total lockdown of the country for 21 days from midnight on Thursday that would see all businesses, including all restaurants, cafes, bars and coffee shops, not operating as they have not been deemed essential services.

People will be able to leave their homes to buy food and medicine, as well as other essentials.

“Essential and critical business continuity services will need to remain open to support the health sector and to keep our people healthy, safe, and secure under these extraordinary conditions. We ask all businesses and people to take this seriously and to help us respond as effectively as possible to contain and minimise the impact of Covid-19,” reads a statement from the presidency.

Call centres providing life and health; energy, food and water supply, social, transactional, communications, law and order and international critical business continuity services will also remain operational.

These are the numbers to contact should you need help:

National Institute for Communicable Diseases: 0800 029 999

South African Police Service: 08600 10111

Department of home affairs: 0800 601 190

Gender-based violence command centre: 0800 428 428 or *120*786#

National Crisis Line: 0861 322 322

Department of water affairs: 0800 200 200

Reporting undue price increases: 0800 141 880

Department of tourism: 0860 868 747

Support to SMMEs in distress: 0860 663 7867

Presidential hotline: 17737  WhatsApp: 060 012 3456

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