Western Cape ANC calls for province to revert to lockdown level 5

The Western Cape is now the COVID-19 epicentre of South Africa. The number of confirmed cases also continues to rise at a rapid pace. It is for this reason that the African National Congress (ANC) in the province called for a return to lockdown level 5.  

The ANC said the situation in the Western Cape is getting worse and hotspots in key areas need special attention. 

“This province faces its biggest health challenge ever and needs to go back to the level 5 quarantine urgently to slow down infections,” MPL Danville Smith said in a statement on Friday. 

As of Friday 8 May, the Western Cape still had the most confirmed cases with a total of 4 497, followed by Gauteng with 1 851 cases, KwaZulu-Natal with 1 253 and Eastern Cape with 989.

ANC CALLS FOR SPECIAL LOCKDOWN MEASURES IN WESTERN CAPE 

The ANC in the legislature wants serious consideration to be given to special lockdown measures during these extraordinary times to lower the fast growth in deaths, hospitalisation and confirmation rates in this province.

“The DA-led Western Cape government must face the fact that half of the people infected in South Africa comes from this province. Hotspots are also shooting up outside of the Cape Town metro like also in the Witzenberg, Winelands and Stellenbosch municipal areas,” said Smith. 

“Large groups of people are exposed to infection at shoppings centres, farms and factories. And the numbers are set to rise even higher. The ANC calls for a strong presence of national law officials like the SAPS and SANDF in hotspots,” added Smith. 

CALL FOR A RETURN TO LEVEL 5 

The ANC is urging the relevant authorities in the province to apply through Premier Alan Winde for special status to Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to put the Western Cape back on level 5 to curb the spread of the virus. 

“The ANC realises that this will have a dire impact on the Western Cape economy and education possibilities, but lets rather act now before it is forever too late. The spread can still be controlled,” said Smith. 

“It is clear that the growth in the Western Cape infections is a deep crisis confronting the people of our province and South Africa as a whole. Mass congregation of people during the time to walk or practise sport in the mornings has become a source of further concern. This might cause more infections in the province. The defiance by some to allow labour inspectors is another huge problem,” added Smith. 

The ANC said the return to level 5 in the Western Cape is an urgent matter that must be seriously considered.