President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown with effect from midnight on Thursday 26 March until 16 April 2020, in a bid to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
President #Ramaphosa: The nation-wide lockdown will be enacted in terms of the Disaster Management Act and will entail the following:
- From midnight on Thursday 26 March until midnight on Thursday 16 April, all South Africans will have to #stayathome.
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) March 23, 2020
Ramaphosa addressed the nation from the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Monday evening with government's latest plans to tackle the deadly virus.
The number of confirmed cases in South Africa currently stands at 402.
Individuals will not be allowed to leave their homes except under strictly controlled circumstances.
President #Ramaphosa: - Individuals will not be allowed to leave their homes except under strictly controlled circumstances, such as to seek medical care, buy food, medicine and other supplies or collect a social grant.
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) March 23, 2020
Ramaphosa said the only persons that were exempted from the lockdown were SAPS personnel, the SANDF, healthcare workers, emergency personnel, security services, military medical personnel and soldiers.
He said other people who were exempt included those who were in the production, distribution of food and basic goods, banking services, water service, power utility service and laboratory services.
President #Ramaphosa: All shops and businesses will be closed, except for pharmacies, laboratories, banks, essential financial and payment services, including the JSE, supermarkets, petrol stations and health care providers.
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) March 23, 2020
Banks, petrol service stations, pharmacies, laboratories, supermarkets and healthcare providers are allowed to stay open.
Ramaphosa said people would only be allowed to leave their homes to buy food, seek medical help or under other extreme circumstances.
President #Ramaphosa: - Temporary shelters that meet the necessary hygiene standards will be identified for homeless people. Sites are also being identified for quarantine and self-isolation for people who cannot self-isolate at home.
— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) March 23, 2020
Last night Ramaphosa was forced to postpone his address following meetings with the National Command Council - which is chaired by him and includes various government ministers and other interested parties.
*Additional reporting by IOL