Photo: Flickr
Photo: Flickr
It’s a threat that simply refuses to fizzle out: Despite Cyril Ramaphosa dismissing claims that South Africa would return to a hard lockdown any time soon, officials in the Eastern Cape have stated that they may need the ‘toughest possible local measures’ in order to halt a rocketing rate of COVID-19 infections.
COVID-19 infections in the Eastern Cape
Both the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and the Eastern Cape Government have put themselves on high alert. The latest data, accumulated by the NICD, shows that infections are rising faster here than anywhere else in the country. The weekly average of cases has jumped by 50% since mid-October, and the uptick in transmission is highly visible.
New cases for EC
— sugan naidoo (@sugan2503) November 1, 2020
EC the only province where cases seem to be increasing fairly rapidly.
• Ave. last week was 282.9 & this week it's 433.6
• 4 days in the last week had over 500 cases
• Deaths also on the rise again – although it's difficult to say when those deaths occurred pic.twitter.com/Y2z2q6WnK7
Will the Eastern Cape get a hard lockdown?
Across the country, cases are increasing steadily. The Western Cape has noted that the transmission of coronavirus is on the rise in the south-west. Meanwhile, KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala is adamant that a hard lockdown is the only answer to the problems facing his province – and the ANC stalwart is gaining some vocal support from the Eastern Cape.
Acting Mayor Councillor Thsonono Buyeye stated last week that harsh regulations ‘may need to be reintroduced’, and said that not enough people can be trusted to change their behaviour and follow the government’s advice on hygiene:
“A harder lockdown is not ideal but to save lives, the option might need to be explored again as the numbers are increasing rapidly. In just one day this week, we had close to 500 new infections. Unfortunately, the infections go with deaths and we have seen even the deaths in the country have surpassed the 19 000 mark.”
“The only reason we are battling a second wave now is due to non-compliance. People are not complying; in businesses, restaurants, and social gatherings, they have thrown away their masks thinking that the virus is over. We are warning residents that the second wave could be more deadly than the first wave if they do not change their ways.”
Thsonono Buyeye
Hard lockdown punted for NMB, Eastern Cape – but will Ramaphosa change his stance?
Nelson Mandela Bay’s Disaster Management Chairperson Shane Brown has also backed Buyeye. The public official reasons that there may soon be ‘no choice’ but to enter another hard lockdown. The presidency may want to avoid a return to the strictest measures available, but the threat of a second wave could eventually become a game-changer.
“We warn our residents that, should the numbers continue to rise, President Cyril Ramaphosa will have no choice but to enforce stricter measures. The last thing we need is to lose control of the virus. We are fast approaching 2 000 active cases now and it is because we have shockingly recorded 500 daily new infections at the end of last week.”
Shane Brown
