Winde grilled over why W Cape is SA’s epicentre

First infections probably from travellers before local cluster transmissions, says premier

THE provincial government says the first Covid-19 infections in the Western Cape probably came from travellers, both foreign and domestic.

Answering a question in the Legislature from the ANC’s Cameron Dugmore, about what circumstances led to the province becoming the epicentre for the country’s coronavirus outbreak, Premier Alan Winde said: “Community transmissions were established earlier in the Western Cape compared to other provinces, so it’s likely they were seeded by international travellers, South Africans going abroad, and tourists coming here for business and pleasure.”

Asked how the virus has spread in the province, Winde said: “It was largely driven by clusters in essential workplaces such as supermarkets and factories by the second week of April.

“Many of the workers in these workplaces were likely to have started community transmissions in their respective local communities, prior to being tested in their places of work.

“Community transmission is by now well established and more and more people will be infected over the coming weeks as the virus spreads,” he added.

Finance and Economic Opportunities MEC David Maynier told the ANC’s Nomi Nkondlo that his department had taken a list of measures to assist businesses promote safety in the workplace.

“Key safety measures we’re asking all businesses to implement include providing businesses in hot-spot areas with health guidelines and materials that display information on safety measures in the workplace.

“The department’s role in the hotspot strategy is specifically to assist businesses in slowing the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace, and to ensure economic recovery in the hotspot areas.

“We are monitoring the compliance of businesses in implementing safety measures through reporting mechanisms that allow the public to report non-compliance, such as an online form,” said Maynier.

“Meanwhile, we are helping businesses identify and resolve systemic issues making it a challenge to implement the necessary safety measures.”

As of 1pm yesterday, there had been 16 more deaths from the virus in the province, bringing its number to 403, while 735 new cases took its number of infections to 17 286.

The number of those who have recovered from the virus are 9 157, while 136 597 people had been tested.

At the start of yesterday’s virtual legislature session, Speaker Masizole Mnqasela ruled that the ANC’s Lulama Mvimbi was within his rights to refer to a statement by Transport MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela on Covid-19 as “reckless and unscientific”.

The comment had been queried by DA Deputy Chief Whip Daylin Mitchell.

Community transmission is by now well established Alan Winde PREMIER