President Cyril Ramaphosa has, in his televised address to the nation on Thursday 9 April, confirmed that the nationwide lockdown will be extended until the end of April.
“During the course of the past two weeks you have endured much hardship, our economy has come to a halt. This evening I stand before you to ask you to endure even longer,” said Ramaphosa.
South Africa’s confirmed cases are now at 1 934. The average increase in infections before the lockdown was 42% and since the start of the lockdown, this number has decreased to 4%. These statistics confirm that the nationwide lockdown is working and was necessary.
“We cannot relax and cannot become complacent,” the President said. “If we end the lockdown too soon we risk a surge in the disease, reversing the gains over the past weeks”
The National Command Council has agreed on three strategies
- Intensified public health responses
- Implement economic response methods
- Increased social support
The President thanked all South Africans for coming together and uniting in this crisis. In his address, Ramaphosa reiterated the importance of taking the pandemic seriously to avoid an even longer lockdown.
“We are determined to take a path that saves lives”
COVID-19 cases worldwide have reached 1.5 million cases and 90 000 deaths.
