Members of the government's National Coronavirus Command Council, led by Minister of Cooperative Affairs and Governance Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, will give a detailed public briefing on the regulations relating to the easing of South Africa's lockdown restrictions to Level 4.
Last week President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the easing of the national lockdown which is currently in its 34th day.
The council is expected to provide clarity on what the new regualtions will be that will govern the relaxation of some of the stringent prohbitions South Africans have been living with since the declaration of Covid-19 as a national disaster last month.
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The briefing on Wednesday night follows a series of press conferences over the past two days where ministers unpacked various issues. Earlier in the day Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu and Housing and Water Affairs Minister Lindiwe Sisulu gave details of their departments' Covid-19 relief interventions.
Zulu announced, among other things, the process for applying for a R350 relief grant for South Africans who do not have any other income.
Also on Wednesday, Department of Basic Education Director-General Mathanzima Mweli told a joint meeting of parliamentary committees that if things went according to his department’s wishes, schools would reopen next week.
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) has insisted that no schools should open during level four of the country's Covid-19 lockdown.
“If level four [lockdown] regulations are to be adhered to, there should be no re-opening of schools under level 4. The minister (Angie Motshekga) should meet with stakeholders before any announcement is made and after making sure that the department of health has expertly assessed the risks,” the union said.
“We reject importing the Taiwan, China, Denmark and Singapore misrepresentation by the director general (Mweli). The context and culture are not the same. We must use our context, culture and data to inform our actions.”
Sadtu said that it had furnished the department with a set of minimum requirements which needed to be complied with before schools were reopened.
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