WATCH | Business as usual at potential Covid-19 hotspots in Gauteng

The country’s economic hub, Johannesburg, could be a catalyst for the spread of the novel coronavirus.

As SA prepares for a potential spike in locally transmitted Covid-19 cases, TimesLIVE last week travelled to some of Johannesburg's busiest townships and hubs, and it's safe to say it was business as usual.

In Diepsloot, many people had zero to little knowledge about the virus, its symptoms and potential impact.

Witness Mpungi, a street vendor, said she had heard the virus is “far away”, not where she lived.

Diepsloot and Alexandra are densely populated areas where residents have been protesting for basic services, such as access to running water, for many years. Now, more than ever, clean running water is critical.

In central Johannesburg, taxi ranks and shops were busy.

Millions of South Africans rely on the public transport system daily to make a living.

At the Bree Street taxi rank in the CBD, we spotted a few people wearing masks or gloves. Taxi ranks are potential high-risk areas for local transmission, which the government has advised must be closely monitored.