Limpopo’s Transport MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya says there appears to be minimal movement of travellers as the country starts the Easter weekend amidst the national lockdown.
Lerule-Ramakhanya says the police, traffic police and soldiers will continue manning road blocks to ensure that people do not travel without purpose.
She was speaking in Bela Bela which has been identified as a hot spot where people move around unnecessarily.
”We have seen very very little movement in terms of people that we’d say they’re travelling because of the Easter. Bela Bela that’s one of our hot spots we’ve put the roadblock here just to monitor the movement.”
”We are emphasising on the permits and I can confirm out of five cars that we’re stopping four they all have permits where they’re supposed to be going or they can prove that they’re at work. Around the province we’ve put road blocks together with SAPS and our traffic officers,” explains the MEC.
SA lockdown extended by two weeks
On Thursday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa extended South Africa’s 21 days national lockdown by two more weeks.
He announced this in a television address.
The President says there’s compelling evidence that the lockdown is working.
“If we end the lockdown too soon or too abruptly we risk a massive and uncontrollable resurgence of the disease, we risk reversing the gains that we have made over the last few weeks and rendering meaningless the great sacrifices that we have all made. Fellow South Africans this evening I stand before you to ask you to endure a little longer.”
The rate of new infections has slowed down.
“Since the lockdown came into effect, the rate at which new cases have been identified here in South Africa has slowed significantly. From 1 170 confirmed cases on the 27th of March, the number of confirmed cases today stands at 1 934.”
”In the two weeks before the lockdown, the average daily increase in new cases was around 42%. Since the start of the lockdown, the average daily increase has been around 4%.”
In the video below, President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the nation:
Ramaphosa says government will continue fighting the effect of the virus through intensified public health response, a comprehensive of economic support measures to support businesses and increased support to the poor.
