POLL | President Cyril Ramaphosa talks tonight — what do you think he will announce?

Speculation about whether President Cyril Ramaphosa will announce the reintroduction of stricter lockdown regulations when he addresses the nation on Wednesday evening continues to mount, leaving many on social media fearing the worst.

Ramaphosa will address the nation at 8pm on SA’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Minister in the presidency Jackson Mthembu said last week the government was concerned about the reckless conduct of some South Africans amid the pandemic.

Mthembu said the national coronavirus command council would meet to discuss a risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of the virus. He said this will be followed by the president's address to the nation.

A special cabinet sitting took place on Tuesday to consider recommendations of the command council meeting that was held earlier.

FULL ADDRESS | Ramaphosa addresses SA on Covid-19 developments

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The minister would not be drawn into giving details about the president's address.

“Can we allow the president to take us into his confidence, particularly after the national coronavirus command council and cabinet have met?” he asked.

In his weekly newsletter on Monday, Ramaphosa urged South Africans not to be complacent as a second wave of Covid-19 infections would reverse the country's health and economic gains.

“A resurgence at any scale will not just dramatically reverse our health gains, it will choke the green shoots of economic recovery that have emerged, and take us back from spring to winter,” he said. 

On Tuesday, SA had 740,254 positive Covid-19 cases, 19,951 related deaths and 1,729 new cases, according to the health ministry.

Social media has been flooded with messages speculating on what might be announced, with everything from a new lockdown to the cancelling of December being predicted:

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