Tebogo Msimanga |
President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the Nation on Sunday evening and highlighted that this coming Friday,5 March 2021 will mark exactly one year since the first case of coronavirus was reported in South Africa.
More than one-and-a-half million people in South Africa have been infected and nearly 50,000 people have been reported to have died from the disease.
Ramaphosa said they recently signed an agreement with Johnson & Johnson to secure 11 million doses. “Of these doses, 2.8 million doses will be delivered in the second quarter and the rest spread throughout the year. We have also secured 20 million doses from Pfizer, which will be delivered from the second quarter.”
The president announced that in the new alert level 1, gatherings will be permitted, subject to limitations on size, adherence to social distancing and other health protocols. “These include religious, social, political and cultural gatherings. Nightclubs will remain closed.”
The sale of alcohol will be permitted, according to normal licence provisions. However, no alcohol may be sold during the hours of curfew.
He said wearing masks in public places is still mandatory, and failure to wear a mask when required remains a criminal offence. “As we ease restrictions, we cannot let our guard down.
Ramaphosa reiterated that the few remaining restrictions under Alert Level 1 are meant to maintain low levels of infections and, in particular, to prevent super-spreading events.
