Cape Town - Cabinet has received recommendations relating to alert level 3 of South Africa's lockdown and will decide on these next week after a briefing by ministerial health advisors on the coronavirus pandemic, according to a statement released on Thursday morning.
"Cabinet received an updated report from the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC). The NCCC tabled a number of recommendations pertaining to the enhanced risk adjusted Alert Level 3 of the national lockdown."
The recommendations are based on input from various quarters as well as deliberations by the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints). The structure groups the police, military and intelligence structures and has played a key role in the government's coronavirus strategy.
"However, Cabinet decided to defer approval of the recommendations pending a full health assessment report from the Ministerial Health Advisory Committee on Covid-19. The NCCC is expected to receive the full presentation by early next week," it said, without providing details of the proposals.
Cabinet issued a call to all South Africans to "voluntarily comply" with the measures in place to prevent transmission of the virus, including hand-washing, mask-wearing and social distancing.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has made plain that the risk-adjusted alert level system on the health crisis allows cabinet to return the country to higher alert levels or to revise the regulations pertaining to the nationwide lockdown if necessary.
Alert level 3 came into effect on June 1, allowing for much of the economy to reopen after two-months of severe restrictions.
The presidency earlier this week denied social media rumours that government was about to reintroduce the ban on alcohol sales that was in place during alert levels 5 and 4. Ramaphosa's office said there had been no proposals to bring back the ban.
African News Agency/ANA
* For the latest on the Covid-19 outbreak, visit IOL's special #Coronavirus page.
** If you think you have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus, please call the 24-hour hotline on 0800 029 999 or visit sacoronavirus.co.za