Ramaphosa mum on stricter lockdown regulations as he heads home

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday said he would err on the side of caution before placing the country under stricter Covid-19 lockdown when he returns to SA on Wednesday.

Speaking during a joint press briefing with his Senegalese counterpart Macky Sall at the Presidential Palace in Dakar, Ramaphosa said that when he lands in SA he will head straight into a cabinet meeting.

“I arrive at 4am and walk straight into a cabinet meeting, where we are going to discuss a variety of issues, and the national coronavirus command council still needs to meet before it makes recommendations to cabinet on how we should continue responding to the coronavirus,” he said.

Ramaphosa acknowledged that infections were rising “and therefore we need to be cautious about how we handle any measures we put in place.

“All that will be given due consideration once we are back in SA and receive a report from our health department and minister, as well as our national joint entity which looks at a whole range of issues, before we are able to act in any way.”

He added that any announcement relating to regulations would be preceded by a meeting of the presidential co-ordinating council, which includes premiers and metro mayors.

“So whatever measure we take will be properly [considered] by everyone affected.”

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