Ramaphosa to address the nation about coronavirus on Monday

Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency(ANA)

Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency(ANA)

Published Mar 22, 2020

Share

Cape Town - President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation on the coronavirus pandemic on Monday following Sunday's meeting of the National Command Council.

Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu said a meeting of the National Command Council was still ongoing late on Sunday. 

The council was deliberating an update on the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak; progress and challenges related to implementation of the recently promulgated regulations on the state of disaster and other measures to protect the country, as well as economic impact.

The council also discussed whether the measures that are currently in place to contain the spread of the virus are sufficient and what further measures are required. 

"There are very weighty matters before the National Command Council, amongst others the socio-economic impact on our people of this coronavirus and how to mitigate that impact. But also the impact of this virus on the poor, the vulnerable and workers... Its not an easy matter, Mthembu said.

"The meeting is continuing and is likely to continue till very late, therefore there is no possibility that the president will address the nation tonight,"he said. 

%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19 https://t.co/B3vr9aFixD

— Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA)

Meanwhile the Presidency has confirmed that Ramaphosa is in good health. 

This follows ACDP leader Reverend Kenneth Meshoe's announcement that he had been tested for coronavirus.

Meshoe said he decided to get tested although he had no symptoms after engaging in a religious gathering in the Free State where five international guests subsequently tested positive for the virus. 

Meshoe was among leaders of political parties who met with Ramaphosa in Cape Town this week. 

"The President himself is in good health and is observing the announced protocols as stringently as he can while performing his duties," the Presidency said on Sunday.

"At this point in time there is no cause for concern about the President’s health or reason for the President to be tested. To the best of the President’s knowledge, no person with whom he has recently had contact - including Rev Meshoe - has symptoms of or tested positive for the virus." 

IOL

Related Topics: