Lockdown Level 3: President’s Coordinating Council meets to discuss preparations

Deputy President David Mabuza will co-chair the meeting with him. Ministers, premiers and the SA Local Government Association will join them.

“[Saturday’s] meeting follows [Friday’s] consultation, led by President Ramaphosa, between government and social partners under the auspices of the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac).

“President Ramaphosa has been in continuous consultation with various sectors of society on management of the national state of disaster since government first acted to limit the outbreak of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in the country,” presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko said in a statement on Saturday.

On Friday, the Presidency said the country could migrate to Level 3 before the end of the month.

This followed a virtual meeting earlier in the day of the Nedlac constituencies to assess preparations for the downgrade from Level 4.

“Social partners expressed their support for the risk-adjusted approach South Africa has taken to the reopening of the economy, as well as for the original restrictions put in place to give the country time to prepare the health system for the management of Covid-19 infections.”

Diko said the government as well as the labour, business and community sectors were undertaking detailed work to ensure lives would be saved and livelihoods protected as the economy was progressively unlocked and society adapted to the reality of economic activity with coronavirus as an ever-present danger.

Level 3 will entail a more extensive reopening of the economy and the lifting of restrictions on the movement of people and goods.

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