POLL | Ramaphosa to address SA 'soon' — what are you expecting to hear?

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to hold a “family meeting” soon, where he is set to update the country on the measures that government will put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19 amid a looming third wave. 

Acting minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni made the announcement on Thursday.  

She said the cabinet met during the week to discuss further lockdown measures with health officials.

“We can confirm to South Africans that there will be a family meeting soon,” said Ntshavheni. 

According to Ntshavheni, the government was concerned about the increasing number of Covid-19 infections, as the winter season approaches.

“We are all noticing the numbers as they are going up in terms of infections and people are starting to notice an uptick in terms of deaths. As cabinet we are discussing and consulting on the measures to make sure that we protect South Africans.

“A decision will be taken soon after the consultations and we will announce the date on which the president will hold the family meeting,” she said.

Last week, Ramaphosa said the severity of the third wave would determine whether SA moved to a harder lockdown. 

Speaking to France24, Ramaphosa said SA was ready for a new wave of infections, should it come. 

“We’ve been seeing the emergence of what we think could be a third wave coming through,” he said. 

“We are watching it very closely. If it comes, we are ready. We are gearing up a whole number of measures. The issue of a lockdown is something that will only be looked at, depending on the severity of the third wave.”

Proposed measures

The SA Alcohol Policy Alliance (Saapa) has proposed 10 measures for the government to avoid a complete ban.

The measures include restricting access to alcohol, banning all alcohol advertisements except at point of sale, banning special reduced price offers for alcoholic beverages, and reducing the number of people at gatherings to 50 indoors and 100 outdoors.

Saapa said the government should not wait until the health system becomes overburdened before restrictions are introduced.

“Alcohol consumption should not aggravate the predicted impact of the third wave,” said Maurice Smithers, director of the alliance.

“We have seen the additional burden on the healthcare system caused by trauma cases related to harmful drinking, through car crashes, incidents of interpersonal violence and gender-based violence.

“Also, when people consume alcohol, their ability to adhere to Covid-19 protocols can be diminished and contribute to the spreading of the virus.”