Johannesburg – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa held another ‘family meeting’ on Sunday evening on developments in the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The President’s address follows meetings in recent days of the National Coronavirus Command Council, the President’s Coordinating Council and Cabinet.
“We are now administering a million doses every 4 to 5 days. Government has secured sufficient vaccines to vaccinate the entire adult population, and the supply of vaccines is no longer a constraint. However, we need to do much more,” Ramaphosa said during his address.
The president urged citizens to vaccinate against Covid-19.
“We now have more than 3,000 public and private vaccination sites across the country, and most private sites will vaccinate any member of the public for free whether you have health insurance or not,” he further stated.
Fellow South Africans,
There is now overwhelming evidence from hundreds of countries that vaccines are safe and provide strong protection.
We have taken steps to make it easier for people to access vaccination wherever they are.https://t.co/VoytbewkJ4— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) September 12, 2021
Easing of restrictions
Ramaphosa said that with the decline of infections across all provinces, the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid-19 has recommended an easing of restrictions on the movement of people and gatherings.
“They have also been discussed with the leaders of political parties represented in Parliament and with religious organisations. These recommendations have been discussed at the National Coronavirus Command Council and with Premiers, mayors and traditional leaders in the President’s Coordinating Council,” Ramaphosa said.
The president went on to announce that the country will be moving from alert level 3 to alert level 2.
“Based on these discussions, Cabinet has therefore decided that the country should be moved from Adjusted Alert Level 3 and placed on Adjusted Alert Level 2 with effect from tomorrow, Monday, 13th September 2021,” Ramaphosa said.
Changes to be made to current lockdown regulations:
Curfew will now start at 11pm and end at 4am.
Non-essential establishments like restaurants, bars and fitness centres will need to close by 10pm. This is to allow their employees and patrons to travel home before the start of the curfew.
All gatherings will be limited to a maximum of 250 people indoors and 500 people outdoors.
Where the venue is too small to accommodate these numbers with appropriate social distancing, then no more than 50% of the capacity of the venue may be used.
This includes religious services, political events and social gatherings, as well as restaurants, bars, taverns and similar places.
The sale of alcohol from retail outlets for off-site consumption will be permitted between 10am and 6pm from Monday to Friday. Alcohol sales for on-site consumption will be permitted as per licence conditions up to 10pm.
Alcohol consumption remains prohibited in public spaces.
Funerals remain restricted to no more than 50 people, and, as before, night vigils, after-funeral gatherings and ‘after-tears’ gatherings are not allowed.
“These measures will be reviewed in two weeks time depending on the state of the pandemic. We will also be providing further information on an approach to ‘vaccine passports’, which can be used as evidence of vaccination for various purposes and events,” Ramaphosa further said.
Ramaphos also said, “It remains mandatory for every person to wear a face mask that always covers their nose and mouth when in public spaces. It is a criminal offence not to do so, and the managers of shops and restaurants as well as drivers of taxis and buses have a responsibility to ensure that their customers wear masks, and that the appropriate social distancing measures are in place.”
Watch the president’s full address below:
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