Gauteng's 'Covid-19 storm' cannot be prayed away, says premier David Makhura

Gauteng premier David Makhura said a “Covid-19 storm” has arrived in the province and, unfortunately, it cannot be “prayed” away.

Speaking at an event with BMW SA and the Gauteng department of health on Monday, Makhura said the province would consider a “tougher” lockdown to halt the spread of Covid-19.

To date, the province has 39,841 confirmed cases and 180 deaths.

Health minister Zweli Mkhize warned that Gauteng could soon overtake the Western Cape as the epicentre of Covid-19 in SA.

Gauteng has also seen a surge in demand for oxygen and ventilators.

“As we are here today to witness an important opportunity, where we are signing an memorandum of understanding between the health department, German Agency for International co-operation and BMW, that storm has arrived in Gauteng as we speak. It will take all of us to weather the storm, and the critical issue is that we have to go through it,” Makhura said.

“The storm can't be diverted and go somewhere else. Those who pray, you can't pray for it to pass us and go somewhere else.”

The provincial government signed a multimillion-rand project with BMW aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.

The project is said to transform the health-care system in SA and will add 700 beds to hospitals around the province and increase its supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Makhura thanked BMW, saying the resources are “the armory we need to fight this pandemic”.