South Africa Coronavirus Update: June 20th: South Africa’s Response to Coronavirus

Since President Cyril Ramaphosa first addressed the nation on COVID-19 on 15 March, in which he declared a national state of disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act. He announced that the government is taking ‘urgent and drastic measures to manage the disease, protect the people of our country and reduce the impact of the Coronavirus disease on our society and on our economy’.

diseaseIn his second address, on 23 March, the President announced a national lockdown, initially for 21 days, and outlined more stringent interventions in a comprehensive plan to limit transmission of the virus and to mitigate its economic and social impact.

South Africa’s economic response can be divided into three phases:

  1. The first phase began in mid-March when the coronavirus disease pandemic was declared as a national disaster. This included a broad range of measures to mitigate the worst effects of the pandemic on businesses, on communities and on individuals. The measures included tax relief, the release of disaster relief funds, emergency procurement, wage support through the UIF and funding to small businesses.
  2. The second phase of the economic response was aimed at stabilising the economy, addressing the extreme decline in supply and demand and protecting jobs. On 21 April, the President announced that a social and economic support package of R500 billion had been finalised, amounting to approximately 10% of GDP.
  3. The third phase is an economic strategy aimed at driving the recovery of the economy as the country emerges from this pandemic. Central to the economic recovery strategy will be measures to stimulate demand and supply through interventions such as a substantial infrastructure build programme, the speedy implementation of economic reforms, and other steps that will ignite inclusive economic growth.

Government’s goal is to steadily increase economic activity while putting measures in place to reduce the transmission of the virus and provide adequate care for those who become infected and need treatment.

As part of this approach, there will be five Coronavirus Alert Levels, in line with a risk-adjusted strategy which seeks to slow down the rate of infection and flatten the curve:

Risk Adjusted Strategy: Schedule of Services – Draft Framework, 25 April 2020

  • Level 5: drastic measures are required to contain the spread of the Coronavirus disease to save lives.
  • Level 4: some activity can be allowed to resume subject to extreme precautions required to limit community transmission and outbreaks.
  • Level 3: easing of some restrictions, including on work and social activities, to address a high risk of transmission.
  • Level 2: further easing of restrictions, but the maintenance of physical distancing and restrictions on some leisure and social activities to prevent a resurgence of the virus.
  • Level 1: most normal activity can resume, with precautions and health guidelines followed at all times.

On 1 May 2020, the country moved to Alert Level 4 and began the phased easing of the national lockdown. Alert Level 3 commenced on 1 June 2020. Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, indicated via Government Gazette on 5 June 2020 that the lockdown has been extended until 15 July 2020, taking into account the need to continue augmenting the existing mitigation measures undertaken by organs of state to address the impact of the disaster.

In his latest address to the nation on 17 June 2020, the President announced a new initiative being pursued across the continent – the Africa Medical Supplies Portal. This is a single continental marketplace where African countries can access critical medical supplies, such as test kits, from suppliers and manufacturers in Africa and around the world in the necessary quantities and at competitive prices. This platform will complement the work that is being done to ensure that sufficient medical equipment, personal protective equipment and hospital facilities are available to manage the anticipated increase in COVID-19 patients.

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