SA to move to Level 3
Greatest defence against virus is stringent hygiene protocols
Speaking to the nation on Sunday May 24, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the country would move to Level 3 lockdown restrictions from Monday June 1.
“While the nationl lockdown has been effective, it cannot be sustained indefinitely,” he said.
“Moving to Level 3 marks a significant shift in our approach to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This will result in the opening up of the economy and the removal of a number of restrictions on the movement of people, while significantly expanding and improving our public health interventions.”
Two particularly contentious restrictions, those limiting exercise between 6am and 9am, and the curfew between 8pm and 5am, will be removed under the new level.
“People will be able to exercise at any time during the day, provided this is not done in groups,” Ramaphosa said.
While the ban on the sale of tobacco products will continue, restrictions on alcohol will be eased significantly.
“Alcohol will be sold for home consumption only, under strict conditions, on specified days and for limited hours,” Ramaphosa said.
Public gatherings, with the exception of funerals with under 50 participants, will remain prohibited and venues catering for cultural or sporting entertainment or exhibitional events will stay shut.
Ramaphosa noted that one of the main reasons for lowering the country’s alert level was to allow more businesses to operate and help kick-start the struggling economy.
However, he said businesses that could reopen would have to adhere to strict health and safety protocols such as enforcing social distancing, and screening and testing staff.
Ramaphosa said businesses should allow employees who could work from home to do so to minimise the risk of infection.
“All staff who are over 60 years of age or suffer from underlying conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease or cancer should ideally work from home,” he said.
Schools will also open, though Ramaphosa assured this would be done in a staggered manner to ensure the safety of staff and pupils.
“We will be resuming classes for Grades 7 and 12 from June 1.
“The school calender will be revised and the curriculum will be trimmed so that we may still recover the 2020 year,” he said.
Ramaphosa said parents would not be forced to send their children back to school if they were concerned.
While acknowledging the effects the national lockdown had on SA citizens, Ramaphosa said it was the right decision.
“I am sorry that these measures imposed a great hardship on you, restricting your right to move freely, to work and to eke out a livelihood. As a result of these measures we imposed, and the sacrifices you made, we have managed to slow the rate of infection and prevent our health facilities from being overwhelmed,” he said.
He encouraged everyone to continue to follow the recommended health and safety protocols to keep them and those around them safe. “We know that the most effective defence against this virus is also the simplest: washing our hands regularly, wearing a face mask, keeping at least a 1.5m distance away from other people, avoiding touching our faces with unwashed hands and cleaning surfaces we touch regularly,” Ramaphosa said.