Ramaphosa to address SA tonight at 8pm in another ‘family meeting’

President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to address the country tonight at 8pm on developments in relation to the country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The address follows meetings in recent days of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC), the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC) and Cabinet.

UPDATE: Here’s Ramaphosa’s new rules on booze sales

President @CyrilRamaphosa will address the nation at 20h00 today, Monday 1 February 2021, on developments in relation to the country’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic. https://t.co/JCEmKpjHlw

— Presidency | South Africa ???????? (@PresidencyZA) February 1, 2021

Government has been under pressure to reopen the economy further from the liquor traders and restaurant owners.

Liquor Traders Association convenor, Lucky Ntimane, on Monday morning told The Citizen the industry expected to start trading on Tuesday.

“The issue of alcohol being allowed has been agreed already. There was a follow-up meeting last week with the Natjoint [National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure]. Natjoint focused on the social compact between government and the industry. Yesterday [Sunday] there was a meeting with the premiers, so that meeting also had a resolve on that,” he said.

UPDATE: Highlights from Ramaphosa’s family meeting: The new, adjusted level 3 regulations

In January, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma extended the national State of Disaster until 15 February.

This was done “taking into account the need to continue augmenting the existing legislation and contingency arrangements undertaken by organs of state to address the impact of the disaster”.

The extension came after Ramaphosa’s announcement to extend level 3 lockdown until the country “passes the peak of new infections”, not specifying when the new regulations would lapse.

READ NEXT: Alcohol industry gearing up to start trading on Tuesday – Ntimane

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