Cape Town - Premier Alan Winde has proposed that all flags at national key points be flown at half-mast every Wednesday from sunrise to sunset in a gesture to honour the dead from Covid-19.
The proposal, contained in a letter Winde wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa, comes as the province announced an additional six Covid-19 deaths, bringing the number of deaths from the virus in the province to 58.
Winde said: “For those who lose loved ones during this time, the ability to bid a proper farewell is limited. We would also like to encourage a further expression of support for our health service professionals working on the front line.”
Winde said: “This would be a simple way to express our solidarity with those who have lost loved ones, and those who are working hard on the front lines, in line with our ethos as a caring government.”
“Once approved, each province could encourage municipalities to follow suit. I hope the president will view our proposal favourably,” he said.
With regards to testing for the virus, Winde said: “On Saturday the province recorded a record number of tests - with 4059 completed in a 24-hour period.
“Focused testing and screening, conducted at hotspots or in pockets of infection, are key in our fight to flatten the curve and to stop the spread. This cannot, however, be achieved through testing alone, and requires the buy-in and help of everyone in society.”
Winde said: “The Western Cape has now conducted nearly 40 000 tests, with 15 660 of these over the past week as we continue to ramp up our testing efforts to actively seek out cases and isolate or quarantine their contacts.
“The province has also now rigorously screened over 250 000 people in the past month, with community screening and testing set to continue.”
Meanwhile, Winde said: “In a bid to reduce congestion during the exercise hours, we will be writing to the national government to request an additional afternoon exercise session.
“This will also help to relieve congestion caused by the fact that the sun currently only rises after 7am in the Western Cape and will allow those who are at work in the mornings to still exercise later in the day.”