Severe lockdown to fight Covid in South Africa unlikely

Government is weighing the risks that a stricter lockdown might pose to the economy as it considers tightening restrictions to curb surging coronavirus infections, minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele said.

The authorities are monitoring hospital admissions before any decision is taken on what new measures to introduce, Gungubele told reporters on Thursday after a cabinet briefing. The presidency has yet to set a date when President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation, he said.

South Africa is currently in lockdown alert level 1. Last year, the government imposed alert level 5 restrictions that shut down almost all economic activity except essential services.

“It is no longer in dispute the damage the restrictions at level 4 and 5 caused,” Gungubele said. “The attitude government is adopting is to find the best possible way of navigating while ensuring the initiatives for livelihoods are intensified and the economy moves.”  — S’thembile Cele, (c) 2021 Bloomberg LP