South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended the national lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus by two weeks until the end of April as infections continue to grow.
South Africa has confirmed 1,934 Covid-19 infections, which is the most in Africa since the first one was detected on March 5. There were 89 new infections reported on Thursday, with cases confirmed in all nine provinces.
The government initially imposed a 21-day lockdown on March 27. It’s being enforced by the police and military and only allows people to leave their homes to buy food, collect welfare grants and seek medical care — unless they provide essential services.
“Unless we take these difficult measures now, unless we hold this course a little longer, the coronavirus pandemic will engulf, and ultimately consume, our country.” – Ramaphosa said in a televised address
The president also promised that he and his ministers and deputy ministers will donate a third of their salaries for three months to a fund established to mitigate the effect of the virus, and called on company executives and government officials to make similar gestures.
