FF Plus calls for closed borders, cancelled events
The party urged government to follow the precedent set by an estimated 97 sporting events around the world, which have been cancelled or postponed due to the spreading Covid-19.
A man wearing a protective face mask cleans an empty area at the Phoenix Centre in Beijing, China, 12 March 2020. Daily life in Beijing has been heavily affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The Covid-19 disease has so far killed at least 4,716 people and infected over 127,000 others worldwide. Picture: EPA-EFE/ROMAN PILIPEY
The FF Plus has a called on the South African Government to cancel sporting events and close the country’s borders, amid concerns of the spreading coronavirus.
In a statement released by the party on Saturday, the FF Plus urged the government to follow the precedent set by an estimated 97 sporting events around the world, which have been cancelled or postponed due to the spreading Covid-19.
South Africa’s confirmed positive cases now stand at 24. All the local cases involve people who have been overseas and travelled to South Africa.
On Saturday, 114 South Africans returning from coronavirus-hit Wuhan, China, arrived back in the country after they were repatriated. They will be in quarantined at the Protea Hotel’s The Ranch Resort, 25km from Polokwane, for 21 days.
“Various countries have also started to close their borders, the most recent case being the Czech Republic denying foreigners access to the country and prohibiting its citizens from travelling overseas in an attempt to contain the virus,” the statement says.
The party advocated for South Africa to follow this example and close and secure its borders, saying “this is not a measure to discriminate” but to ensure the safety of citizens.
“The FF Plus pointed out last Wednesday during a session of the Portfolio Committee on Health as well as last Thursday during the coronavirus debate in Parliament that our borders with neighbouring countries are permeable and that the control of the daily influx of people across South Africa’s borders is inadequate,” the statement says.
On Saturday, the EFF called for all people infected with coronavirus to be held in state quarantine, preferably on Robben Island.
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