SA to move to Level 3 by the end of May – but Ramaphosa, warns that greater vigilance will be needed as regulations are relaxed

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that there will be a further easing of the lockdown and an increase in economic activity, and the country plans to move to Level 3 at the end of May.

Ramaphosa warned that more relaxations will come with a greater risk, as more people interact with one another, and greater vigilance will be required.

The new level will allow for a wider opening of the economy, but the government first has to meet with stakeholders in high risk areas to discuss the way forward.

The government will in due course announce further relaxations of Level 4 regulations, Ramaphosa said.

The President was addressing the nation as it entered the seventh week of an initially 21-day lockdown.

The government is adopting a risk-adjusted strategy when deciding on the extent of the lockdown.

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa announced that the number of cases has jumped to 12 074, while the number of Covid-19 deaths has hit 219.

More than nine million people have been screened by community screeners, and more than 300 000 tests have been done as of today, Ramaphosa said.

Ramaphosa reiterated that the lockdown has been necessary for curbing the spread of the virus, adding that about 80 000 people could have been infected by now, and the death toll would have been about eight times higher if there was no lockdown.

He said the positivity rate – that is, the percentage of people testing positive out of the number of total tests – is relatively low, likely because of the lockdown and other restrictions.

“Although the virus has slowed down, it is still among us and will be for a very long time,” Ramaphosa said. “Our success in overcoming the virus will lie in the changes we make.”

“Hugging, shaking of hands and kissing are things of the past. Physical distancing must be observed. As restrictions are eased, we will need to observe social distancing even more stringently.”

The President said schooling and the work environment will also have to adapt.

Ramaphosa said there are more than 25 000 additional beds for quarantine across the country, and the government is making strides in procuring protective gear and supplies for medical staff.

The President said the government’s unemployment scheme has paid out some R11 billion to about two million workers.

He said about three million South Africans have applied for the government’s R350 social relief grant.

He reminded the public of the importance of practising good hygiene. Ramaphosa warned that lifting the lockdown too soon would end up in an outbreak.

Ramaphosa, said, meanwhile, that there has been an increase in gender-based violence during the lockdown. He said the regulations allowed for a woman to leave her home to report any acts of violence without fearing getting a fine.

– Kerushun Pillay