Netball SA President tests positive, lockdown essential services

After the declaration of the nationwide 21-day lockdown by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday evening, confirmed cases of infection in South Africa had reportedly increased to 554 by the time of going to print on Tuesday. Among the new cases is that of Netball SA President Cecilia Molokwane, who confirmed to Polokwane Observer that she had indeed tested positive for the virus. She said she was taking health precautionary measures as guided by the healthcare workers and was in self-quarantine in the city and received the results on Tuesday. She recently undertook business trips to the United Kingdom and Scotland respectively.
With the nationwide 21-day lockdown commencing at midnight today (Thursday), residents are encouraged to note essential services that will continue to be rendered throughout this period. Declaring the lockdown on Monday evening, President Cyril Ramaphosa said all South Africans will have to stay at home from midnight today until 16 April. Ramaphosa stressed that individuals would not be allowed to leave their homes except under strictly controlled circumstances such as to seek medical care, buy food, medicine and other supplies or collect social grants. Ramaphosa outlined essential services as being;
Power supply
Public and private organisations, their staff and service providers essential to the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity will need to continue to operate. This includes municipalities, and the suppliers of logistics, feedstock and maintenance will be required to continue to operate and provide security of electricity supply.
Water supply, sewerage and sanitation
Public and private organisations, their staff and service providers essential to the security of supply of bulk and potable water and sanitation must continue to operate and provide vital water and sanitation services. This includes municipalities and those involved in the supply of materials, chemicals and related equipment.
Information and communications technology
“We have extensively engaged with the ICT sector and are satisfied that connectivity will remain stable during this period. In this time industry collaboration will be critical to ensure that society remains connected and functional. The ICT sector including data centres, fibre optic providers, towers and antennae will need to operate at high capacity,” Ramaphosa explained.?
Food and essential products
He said in order to ensure that people remain well-nourished and apply high personal hygiene to combat the spread of Covid-19, operations that will continue functioning are, manufacturing of health related products, supplies, devices, equipment, and medicines, including complementary health products, food and essential products, as well as essential inputs thereto. Agricultural and food supply related operations, including farming, veterinary and phytosanitary provider services, pest control services, and chemical and fertiliser providers.
Work from home
Ramaphosa concluded by saying “We encourage people to continue to remain productive and work from home. However, this must be on the basis that it does not require contact with people not residing in the home, and it does not interfere in any manner with the Covid-19 response. These are extreme measures, but essential in order to secure the safety and health of South Africans in the face of this unprecedented pandemic.”

Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za