Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele says South Africa will stay on alert and take advice from the Department of Health regarding the Monkeypox virus that has been detected in the US and UK, outside Central and West Africa where it is usually found.
“The monkeypox which is not yet with us but we continue to stay on the alert and as far as that is concerned, we await at all material times to get counsel from the Department of Health.”
Gungubele was briefing the media on the outcomes of Cabinet’s meeting on Wednesday.
The meeting also approved the publication of the Constitution’s Eighteenth Amendment Bill for comment which seeks to give recognition to the South African Sign Language as the country’s 12th official language.
Other issues discussed included government’s response to the KZN floods, the sustainable use of water by mines, German leader Olaf Scholz’s visit earlier this week and the upcoming Child Protection Week and Youth Month.
On the German relations, Cabinet welcomes the successful official visit by His Excellency Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Pretoria on Tuesday. #PostCabinet
— @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) May 26, 2022
Quizzed by journalists on the imminent fuel price increase, Gungubele said: “On the fuel, we take advice from the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Energy in that matter. We are very happy that we were able to protect the motorists recently which was for an indefinite period. What is the next step? I have no doubt, soon the Minister of Finance will advise us on the trends and what measures can be put in place to stay afloat on that matter.”
The Minister also said: “Extended condolences to the friends and families of former City of Johannesburg Mpho Moerane, Gospel Artist Deborah Fraser, National AIDS Council member Dr Namane Magau, Economist Mike Schussler and Actor Jamie Bartlett.”
