South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday announced the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus has been extended by two weeks until the end of April as infections continue to rise, reported Reuters.
The lockdown was imposed on March 27 and was due to last for 21 days. It is one of the toughest measures imposed by an African government. The lockdown only allows people to leave their homes to buy food, seek medical care, and collect welfare grants.
“There is sufficient evidence to show the lockdown is indeed working,” Ramaphosa said in a televised address. “Unless we take these difficult measures now, unless we hold this course a little longer, the coronavirus pandemic will engulf, and ultimately consume, our country.”
South Africa has reported 1,934 Covid-19 cases since the first one was detected on March 5. 89 new infections were reported on Thursday, with cases confirmed in all nine provinces. 18 South Africans had died from Covid-19 on Wednesday.
The South African president said the struggle against the coronavirus is far from over. He warned that ending the lockdown too soon and too abruptly would risk a massive and uncontrollable upsurge in the disease.
Mr. Ramaphosa also announced that he along with his Cabinet, deputy ministers and premiers will donate a third of their salaries for the next three months to a fund established to mitigate the effect of the disease.
He also appealed all government officials and company executives to come forward make a similar gesture. He said the money would go towards the Solidarity Fund, which has so far raised R2.2 billion, with half of that already allocated to buy gloves, face shields, surgical masks, test kits and ventilators.
“It will also allocate funds for humanitarian relief to vulnerable households, in addition to the R400 million set aside by the government for social relief of distress grants,” the South African government said.
