President warns: Increase in COVID-19 infections

NATIONAL NEWS - As the country has lifted the lid on some of the economic activity and people are starting to move around, South Africa must brace itself for the increase of COVID-19 infections.

This was the key message delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa during a visit to KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday to assess the province’s COVID-19 response.

He said Level 5 lockdown had done a great deal to put the brakes on the wave of infections that was meant to go up exponentially. However, the lockdown managed to level it off.

“In that regard, we were able to ensure that with social distancing, chances of infections are lessened and that has paved us the way. In a way it was getting us prepared for a spate of infections that are going to continue rising,” he said.

While President Ramaphosa said he was satisfied that KZN had done a great deal to prepare for the challenge, the President said he would still like to see the province getting more ICU beds in order to deal with what is still yet to come.

“We’re informed that the worst is still coming. We are going to get more people who are infected,” he said.

“But the important thing is that we need to ensure that we lessen the pace in which these infections are going to take place.”

He said this will be done by getting ready by these quarantine facilities, ensure that people continue with social distancing, people continue to wash their hands, and informed through our actions wearing masks and limiting numbers of people who gather in social spaces.

Professor Salim Abdool Karim chairs the government's advisory committee on coronavirus and is a leading clinical infectious diseases epidemiologist. Ramaphosa also heaped praises on how Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has guided the country through the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the praise coming from international bodies such as the World Health Organisation have been because of Mkhize’s stellar performance.

“The important thing is that we have relied on science. We haven’t been flying by the seat of my pants and thumb sucking everything. The fact that he enlisted top-class scientists and doctors as we saw, led by Prof Karim, has positioned us very well because we haven’t been sending out confusing messages.”

Economy under great stress
“The way we have responded to the challenge is the way we should respond to the next challenge we’re going to face, the economic way.”

He acknowledged that COVID-19 brought the economy to its knees.

“Our economy as we speak now is under a great deal of stress and challenge. We now must collectively respond on how we’re going to deal with the economy.

“COVID-19 has dealt a huge blow to our economy and we now need to address that economy because the economy sustains lives and our lives as South Africans revolves around economic activity and we need to focus on that.”

New economy post-COVID-19
He said the pandemic gives South Africans an opportunity to look at how the country reconstructs the economy post-COVID-19.

“I’m characterising the Coronavirus after effect as being like a post-war situation. We've been fighting the invisible enemy and we must now start planning for a post-war situation.”

He said this gives rise to a number of challenges and opportunities that need to be addressed.

“We must begin to put in place the pillars of the new economy. We cannot continue in the same old way, possibly identifying new sectors going forward and rebuilding those badly affected by COVID-19.”

“We need to come up with a clear building strategy and the building blocks are already in place and we need to put them together.”

He envisions an economic future where growth is inclusive and empowering to the young people and women and Blacks.