Media release: New risk adjusted lockdown welcomed in the Western Cape
Date: 24 April 2020
Release: Immediately
New risk adjusted lockdown welcomed in the Western Cape
We welcome the commitment by President Cyril Ramaphosa to implement a new approach to the lockdown and ease the current restrictions from 1 May 2020 in South Africa.
We have supported the nation-wide lockdown implemented by national government to tackle the Coronavirus pandemic in the Western Cape. However the detrimental impact that this temporary closure of the economy on businesses, especially small businesses and the informal sector, as well as individual employees, has been huge. And so, the risk adjusted strategy to the lockdown will begin to breath new life into the economy in the Western Cape.
The devil is in the detail and so we will:
- work with national government to implement the new approach to the lockdown by making recommendations on appropriate “alert levels” for districts within the province; and
- work with business where required to prepare submissions on industry classifications, prepare health and safety protocols to protect employees and prepare workplace plans to prevent the spread of infection.
To avoid a return to a hard lockdown, it is imperative that every business that is operating now, or which opens under the new approach to the lockdown, plays by the rules, and implements the necessary health and safety measures as instructed by national government to avoid further negative impacts on their respective sector.
Notes for media:
Find link to article online here: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/news/new-risk-adjusted-lockdown-welcomed-western-cape
Media Queries:
Francine Higham
Spokesperson for the Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities
(Responsible for the Provincial Treasury and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism)
Tel: 021 483 4327
Cell: 071 087 5150