Tebogo Msimanga
At midnight on Monday, South Africa will move to alert level two. President Cyril Ramaphosa said this will come as a relief to all South Africans who have had to live under stringent restrictions for the last five months.
“It is a sign of the progress we are making in reducing new infections and demand on our health facilities. It is also a very important development as we strive to restart our economy. But it is too soon to celebrate.”
Ramaphosa said South Africa still have the fifth highest number of infections in the world and there is always a chance of Covid-19 numbers to increase.
“If we ever need a stark reminder of the need for vigilance, we should look to recent events thousands of kilometers away in New Zealand. Three months since the country was declared coronavirus-free, New Zealand is once again under lockdown. Although the latest outbreak was of relatively few cases, the government swiftly re-imposed lockdown restrictions.”
President Ramaphosa urged South Africans to enter level 2 with caution and to keep each other safe.