Current Affairs ZA

The government will soon launch a “far-reaching and intensive” coronavirus (COVID-19) screening and testing drive around the country, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced.

In an address to the nation on Monday evening, Ramaphosa also said the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in South Africa has risen to 1,326, with three deaths so far.

He said, “We are now entering a new face in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. In the coming days, government will be rolling out a screening, testing, tracing and medical management programme on a huge scale.”

10,000 fieldworkers

The President added, “Around 10,000 fieldworkers will be visiting homes in villages, towns and cities to screen residents for coronavirus symptoms. People with symptoms will be referred to local clinics or mobile clinics for testing.

“People who are infected with coronavirus but who have no or moderate symptoms will remain in isolation at home or at a facility provided by government, and those with severe symptoms will be transferred to hospitals.”

The government will also use mobile technology to trace those who have been in contact with confirmed coronavirus cases and to monitor the geographical spread of new cases, he added.

Ramaphosa thanked South Africans for acting in a “disciplined” manner during this period and reiterated that implementing the lockdown was “the correct decision.”

Moody’s downgrade

Ramaphosa also said the recent Moody’s rating agency’s downgrade of South Africa to a sub-investment grade will negatively affect the economy.

He added, “This development will not diminish in any way our response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Within the constraints of the current crisis, we remain committed to implementing structural economic reforms to address weak economic growth, address constrained public finances and struggling state-owned enterprises.”

The President further announced that the government is urgently developing additional measures for informal businesses and self-employed South Africans who have been hit hard by the lockdown.

Motsepe and Naspers donations

Additionally, he thanked entities that have made commitments to donate funds and supplies towards the fight against COVID-19.

Specifically, he mentioned the Motsepe Foundation (R1 billion), the Naspers Company (R1.5 billion), and Alibaba founder Jack Ma (vital medical supplies).

“We would like to thank our nurses, doctors and other health workers, our social workers and frontline government staff, and volunteers and NGOs who are leading the fight against the disease,” Ramaphosa added.

The President addressed concerns that some security personnel, including the SA National Defence Force (SANDF), have been heavy handed in their approach to enforcing the lockdown.

He said, “We have made it clear that the task of our security personnel is to support, reassure and comfort our people, and to ensure that peace and order is maintained in our country.

“They know that they must act within the law at all times and that they must not cause harm to any of our people in any way whatsoever.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa has tested negative for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Presidency said in a statement on Thursday.

Ramaphosa got tested on Tuesday, 24 March as a precautionary measure following advice from his physicians and received the results on Wednesday evening.

The Presidency said, “As Head of State and Chair of the National Command Council (NCC) the President has a rigorous public engagements schedule and has, during the course of the last few weeks, held numerous meetings with a wide cross section of people from all walks of life.”

‘President is in good health’

It added, “In line with international guidelines as well as those of the Department of Health, testing is recommended if you experience symptoms, if you live in or recently travelled to an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19 or if you have been in close contact with someone known to have COVID-19.

“The Presidency has deemed it necessary to make the test results public to reassure the nation that the President is in good health and continues with his duties.”

Concerns about Ramaphosa’s health were raised when African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) leader Rev Kenneth Meshoe announced on Sunday (22 March) that he had decided to get tested for coronavirus.

Meshoe was among political party leaders with whom Ramaphosa held a consultative meeting on the pandemic in Cape Town on 17 March.

Meshoe still awaiting results

Meshoe’s decision to get tested came after five tourists who attended the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast hosted by the Divine Restoration Ministries in Bloemfontein on 10-11 March tested positive. Meshoe also attended the event.

In a statement on Sunday, the Presidency said, “At this point in time there is no cause for concern about the President’s health or reason for the President to be tested. To the best of the President’s knowledge, no person with whom he has recently had contact – including Rev Meshoe – has symptoms of or tested positive for the virus.”

In an update on Twitter on Wednesday, the ACDP said Meshoe is still awaiting the results of his test and remains in self-isolation.

“While we wait for the #Covid19SA test results for @RevMeshoe, be assured he remains in self isolation, still without symptoms and in fervent support and prayer for the nation, especially during this pandemic,” the party said.

Ramaphosa has similarly called on South Africans to observe Thursday, the eve of the 21-day lockdown, as a national day of prayer.

He said in a statement on Wednesday, “I call on all our people, whether they are religious or not, wherever they are, on Thursday the 26th of March to observe a moment of silence in a show of social solidarity.”

The Presidency has moved to reassure South Africans that there is no cause for concern about President Cyril Ramaphosa’s health.

In a statement on Sunday evening, the Presidency welcomed African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) leader Rev Kenneth Meshoe’s announcement that he has been tested for coronavirus (COVID-19).

Meshoe was among political party leaders with whom Ramaphosa held a consultative meeting in Cape Town on Tuesday last week (17 March).

‘No cause for concern’

He decided to get tested after five people who attended the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast hosted by the Divine Restoration Ministries in Bloemfontein, which he also attended, tested positive for coronavirus. The Prayer Breakfast was held on 10-11 March.

The Presidency said, “The Presidency welcomes Rev Meshoe’s adherence to the testing protocol and wishes him well as he awaits his results.

“The President himself is in good health and is observing the announced protocols as stringently as he can while performing his duties.

“At this point in time there is no cause for concern about the President’s health or reason for the President to be tested. To the best of the President’s knowledge, no person with whom he has recently had contact – including Rev Meshoe – has symptoms of or tested positive for the virus.”

I have no symptoms – Meshoe

In a Twitter post on Sunday, Meshoe said he decided to get tested even though he has no symptoms of COVID-19.

He added, “The officials that came were very professional and respectful. After the testing one of them said, ‘You don’t look like you have the virus; you look strong and healthy for your age.'”

Even though I have no symptoms of #Covid_19SA, I decided to be tested this afternoon. The officials that came were very professional & respectful. After the testing one of them said, “you don’t look like you have the virus, you look strong & healthy for your age.” PTL.

— Kenneth Meshoe (@RevMeshoe) March 22, 2020

The five people who tested positive are all tourists. Two are from the United States, two from Israel and one from France. They arrived in South Africa between 9 and 11 March.

An update from Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize last week indicated that more than 200 people attended the Prayer Breakfast.

Ramaphosa was meant to address the nation on Sunday, but the address was postponed to Monday because the National Command Council was still meeting.

As of Saturday, South Africa had a total of 240 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal having the majority of cases.

The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) has now risen to 150, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced.

Ramaphosa revealed this during a media briefing after his meeting with religious leaders in Pretoria on Thursday.

“The level of infections has now risen to 150 and that for us is concerning because that already tells us if you extrapolate that it could start rising in greater numbers,” he said.

34 new cases in one day

The Department of Health has not yet announced a breakdown per province of the new cases.

Ramaphosa’s announcement means that the number of confirmed cases has risen by 34 since the last announcement on Wednesday. Of these, two are locally transmitted, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).

The President hailed his meeting with the religious leaders as “constructive” and said there was an agreement to cancel large religious gatherings and to have a national day of prayer.

The government has gazetted various restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19, including a ban on gatherings of more than 100 people.

SA Zionist churches to hold Easter service

Religious organisations that attended the meeting included the SA Council of Churches, the Anglican Church, the Dutch Reform Church, the Nazareth Baptist Church, and representatives of the Muslim faith, among others.

Head of the SA Council of Churches Bishop Malusi Mpulwana spoke out against some religious groups that have resisted the government’s measures.

Mpulwana said, “Churches who refuse to do this could face charges of endangering [people’s] lives.”

His comments come after Bishop Bheki Ngcobo, the spokesperson of the SA Zionist Churches, said their Easter services would go ahead.

Speaking to SABC News, he said, “Why are companies still allowed to operate? They were given the precautions and those companies have more than a thousand workers in one building.

“But only the church must not go and worship the Lord. I am not disputing what the President is saying because it is his country, but I do understand that in South Africa God is there. In our congregation, we agreed that we are going to worship the Lord in numbers.”