Workers in the essential sectors will be allowed to go to work
A nation-wide lockdown for 21 days with effect from midnight on Thursday 26 March.
As governments across the world battle the outbreak of COVID-19, the number of confirmed cases in South Africa rose to more than 400.
This rise in the number of confirmed cases comes when the country is under the state of disaster as declared by the president about a week ago.
This Monday, National Coronavirus Command Council made further took a decision to put more stringent measures in place in an effort to try and arrest the pandemic. Part of these measures is to enforce a nation-wide lockdown for 21 days with effect from midnight on Thursday 26 March.
This was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his address to the nation.
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“This is a decisive measure to save millions of South Africans from infection and save the lives of hundreds of thousands of people,” said the President.
“While this measure will have a considerable impact on people’s livelihoods, on the life of our society and on our economy, the human cost of delaying this action would be far, far greater.”
On Tuesday morning the streets of Soweto were already empty with only a few people going to work. Only workers in the essential sectors will be allowed to go to work while those who are able to work from home will be allowed to.
This is per the recommendation that people must stay home and avoid crowded places in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The nation-wide lockdown will be enacted in terms of the Disaster Management Act and will entail the following:
– From midnight on Thursday 26 March until midnight on Thursday 16 April, all South Africans will have to stay at home.
– The categories of people who will be exempted from this lockdown are the following: health workers in the public and private sectors, emergency personnel, those in security services – such as the police, traffic officers, military medical personnel, soldiers – and other persons necessary for our response to the pandemic.
It will also include those involved in the production, distribution, and supply of food and basic goods, essential banking services, the maintenance of power, water and telecommunications services, laboratory services, and the provision of medical and hygiene products. A full list of essential personnel will be published.
– Individuals will 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 a social grant.
– Temporary shelters that meet the necessary hygiene standards will be identified for homeless people. Sites are also being identified for quarantine and self- isolation for people who cannot self-isolate at home.
– All shops and businesses will be closed, except for pharmacies, laboratories, banks, essential financial and payment services, including the JSE, supermarkets, petrol stations, and health care providers.
Companies that are essential to the production and transportation of food, basic goods, and medical supplies will remain open.
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