Johannesburg - President Cyril Ramaphosa is adressing the nation this evening “on additional economic and social relief measures that form part of the national response to the Covid-19 pandemic”.
The president's address follows extensive deliberations with numerous stakeholders, including his Cabinet, the National Coronavirus Command Council, the President’s Coordinating Council, and the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), to develop a much-needed package of economic measures to bring relief to South Africans struggling to cope with the financial strain of the national lockdown, the Presidency said earlier on Tuesday.
Since the start of the lockdown, the economy has ground to a halt and scores of small businesses have already indicated that they will not survive. Ramaphosa hosted a virtual Cabinet meeting on Monday where the details of the expected stimulus package were discussed.
After the recent lifting of restrictions on certain industries, including the miing sector, economists are hopeful that Ramaphosa will announce a comprehensive set of measures that will kickstart the recovery of the country's economy.
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In recent days a number of incidents of looting of supermarkets and delivery vehicles has highlighted the desperation felt by many people.
Ordinary citizens, the bulk of whom already battle to ensure that they have food on the table, are bearing the brunt of the government's stringent controls to try and stem the spread of the coronavirus, with tens of thousands of households in dire need of food aid.
Over the past weeks, NGOs, community organisations and activists have mobilised to try and assist with getting food parcels to the neediest segment of society, but there is still a need for ongoing relief measures to be put in place.
IOL
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