Date: 05 April 2020

Yesterday (04 April 2020), Provincial Treasury approved the allocation of R53 million additional funding for emergency food relief programmes that will run across the Western Cape.

Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde said: “We know that the lockdown is tough on everyone and is impacting on the livelihoods of many families across the Western Cape. That is why we are working hard to ensure that no-one goes hungry during this difficult time and that we are all able to play our part to stop the spread of the Coronavirus. We have therefore taken a number of emergency steps to ensure our residents get the nutrition they need.”
The allocation of funds for the emergency food provision plan includes:

• R20 million to distribute 50 000 food parcels, each of which will support a family of four for one month. The Department of Social Development will allocate these funds to selected NGOs to prepare and distribute the food parcels.
• R5 million to the Department of Social Development for delivery of an additional 10 000 cooked meals per day for one month.
• R18 million to the Department of Education to initiate a special school feeding program from 8 April until 20 April, which will target the 485 000 existing school feeding scheme beneficiaries with one takeaway meal a day at approximately 1 000 schools.
• R10 million to increase the number of beneficiaries receiving food at existing Department of Social Development feeding schemes to 6 520 people.

The Department of Social Development has also reactivated the Early Childhood Development (ECD) feeding schemes at the majority of the 1 100 ECDs funded by the department. This will feed up to 80 000 children a day once fully up and running.

Premier Winde continued: “This is a welcome boost that will widen our existing nutritional safety net to provide hundreds of thousands more people who need it most with cooked meals and food parcels.”
Minister of Social Development, Sharna Fernandez added, “Only a whole-of-society approach through the efforts of all spheres of society can help curb the pressure we experience on our available services. In this regard, our NGO partners are critical to helping us deliver this feeding programme during this difficult time, and the existing network in place will ensure that we can get food to those who need it most, as quickly as possible.”

Minister of Education, Debbie Schäfer further added, “We look forward to working with schools and service providers to supply meals to as many of our school children as possible who normally qualify for the national school feeding programme. This is a time when we need to stand together as a province and as a country in protecting those among us who need extra help.

“The National School Nutrition Programme feeds approximately 483 000 of our poorer learners. We need to get to as many learners as possible in this very difficult time.”

More information about these feeding programmes will be provided by Minister Fernandez and Minister Schäfer this week. All necessary measures will be taken to ensure the safety and health of those involved in the implementation of the food relief programmes, including social distancing.

Media Queries: Francine Higham Cell: 071 087 5150 Email: francine.higham@westerncape.gov.za

05 April 2020

Case update:

As at 00h01 on 05 April 2020, the Western Cape had recorded 464 Covid-19 infections.

As we all strive to stop the spread of the Coronavirus by staying at home and abiding by the lock-down, let’s have in our minds the lives we will each save if we all work together. We are staying home for ourselves, our family and friends, our children, our grandmas and grandpas, for the healthcare workers who are facing this virus head on and need our help to flatten the curve, and for our fellow men and women across South Africa.

Sub Districts Cape Town Metro:

Sub Districts Non-Metro:

Unallocated: 4

As at 12h00 on 05 April 2020, we have 20 people admitted to hospital for Covid-19, with nine receiving care in ICU.

A message from the Western Cape Minister of Health

Western Cape Health Minister, Nomafrench Mbombo said: “With cases of Covid-19 spreading throughout the province, doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers are on the frontlines of the pandemic as they care for these patients in our hospitals. The best way we can thank them is by staying home.

“Our medical students are also pitching in to provide Coronavirus education on the phone. They are facing enormous challenges, yet they are responding with courage, resolve and professionalism.  Their dedication is a true inspiration.

“Today, I would like to thank our EMS staff, physicians, nurses, community health workers and all healthcare workers and support staff who are caring for the most vulnerable among us.”

For the latest news and information on the Coronavirus in the Western Cape visit: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/department-of-health/coronavirus

Media Queries:

Francine Higham

Email: francine.higham@westerncape.gov.za

04 April 2020

Case update:

As at 00h01 on 04 April 2020, the Western Cape had recorded 446 Covid-19 infections.

Sub Districts Cape Town Metro:

Sub Districts Non-Metro:

Unallocated: 13

As at 12h00 on 04 April 2020, we have 23 people admitted to hospital for Covid-19, with nine receiving care in ICU.

As we start to see an increase in local transmission cases, we expect to experience additional pressure on our health facilities and health workers.

We again urge all our residents to stay home and abide by the lock-down. By doing this, you can help flatten the curve, and save many lives.

If you are feeling sick, it is important that you stay home and call our hotline (021 928 4102) for advice on what to do next.

If you have any difficulty breathing, you must seek urgent healthcare immediately.

Community screening starts today

In my update yesterday, I announced that the Western Cape Department of Health has identified seven areas where community screening will be conducted.

I can confirm that in fact community screening has already begun today in Happy Valley and Ilitha Park. Credit must be given to the teams at the Department of Health who are implementing this programme so quickly.

Community screening is still scheduled to commence in the following Cape Town Metro sub-districts, and in some areas, we’ve already begun loud hailing operations to make the communities aware:

• Khayelitsha: Town2 (Monday)
• Western: Bo-Kaap (Tuesday)
• Tygerberg: Bishop Lavis (Monday)
• Klipfontein: Philippi (Monday)

And, in the non-rural districts:

• Kwanonqaba, Mossel Bay (Monday)
• Mbekweni, Cape Winelands (Monday)

A reminder that our community healthcare workers will be identifiable by their uniforms and ID cards, and members of the public are advised to request the person’s credentials as part of rigorous safety precautions. We urge community members to welcome the Community Health Workers and to co-operate with them.

President’s Coordinating Council (PCC)

I participated in the President’s Coordinating Council today. I used the opportunity to commit the Western Cape Government to our country’s number one priority: to stop the spread of the Coronavirus and save lives.

During my presentation, I also used the opportunity to raise concerns regarding incidents of police brutality. These incidents must be condemned, and we urge all those with complaints to please report these to IPID as soon as possible.

On the discussion on regulations, I requested a common-sense approach that would allow, for example, equipment needed for e-learning for students to be purchased during the lockdown. Ensuring that learning continues for our children is a top priority of the Western Cape Government.

We have officially sent a list of issues that would require clarification to Minister Dlamini-Zuma, and we are looking forward to further discussions so that clarity can be provided.

First repatriation flight for foreign nationals

Thanks to the considerable efforts of the Provincial Joint Operations Centre (JOC), the first repatriation flight for foreign nationals departed from Cape Town International Airport yesterday (03 April 2020) afternoon.

This first flight saw 277 citizens from Germany, who were unable to leave before the lockdown, depart for Frankfurt.  A second flight to Munich will be departing today.

We are incredibly grateful to all those in provincial and national government who assisted, as well as the teams at Cape Town stadium, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), Cape Town International Airport (CTIA), the German Consulate in Cape Town and the South African Police Service (SAPS) whose involvement ensured the success of this repatriation project.

3 April 2020

Case update:

As at 00h01 on April 3, the Western Cape had recorded 418 COVID-19 infections.

Sub Districts Cape Town Metro:

Sub District Breakdown (Cape Town metro):

Sub Districts Non-Metro:

Unallocated: 4

Today, we have seen another increase in the number of people admitted to hospital- which now stands at 25, with seven receiving care in ICU.

As we start to see an increase in local transmission cases, we expect to experience additional pressure on our health facilities and health workers.

Call for Health Professionals to volunteer their services:

The Western Cape Government is announcing a call today for healthcare workers to volunteer in the effort to fight the Coronavirus in the province. We have over the past few weeks received numerous requests to volunteer and offers to help and we are now asking local medically trained personnel, to join our database for possible call up when needed. Globally, we have seen an outpouring of help and support in the fight against this virus, and it is our hope that our own residents will respond to our call with the same care and willingness to help.

Western Cape Health Minister, Nomafrench Mbombo said: “I am calling on skilled health professionals residing in the province and beyond the borders of the province, to volunteer and assist in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19, in the Western Cape. This COVID-19 pandemic along with the pre-existing burden of disease are placing our facilities under tremendous pressure.

I call on all available health professionals to take up this opportunity to make a meaningful contribution and to assist in our response to this pandemic,” Minister Mbombo said.

Volunteer doctors, nurses and emergency medical service personnel who are NOT employees of the Department can help mitigate the additional pressures COVID-19 will be placing on our services, over the coming weeks and months.

Those interested in adding their support can register on the COVID-19 Volunteer Recruitment website:https://www.westerncape.gov.za/department-of-health/volunteer-recruitment-questionaire

Community screening:

The Western Cape Department of Health has identified 7 areas where community screening will begin from Monday.

In the Cape Town Metro sub-districts, these include:

Khayelitsha: Town2 and Ilitha Park (Monday)

Eastern: Happy Valley (Monday)

Western: Bo-Kaap (Tuesday)

Tygerberg: Bishop Lavis (Monday)

Klipfontein: Philippi (Monday)

In the non-rural districts:

Kwanonqaba, Mossel Bay (Monday)

Mbekweni, Cape Winelands (Monday)

Community screening is going to be an important tool as we work to stop the spread of Coronavirus in our communities, and we will be announcing new and additional sites for community screening as they are confirmed.

Our community healthcare workers will be identifiable by their uniforms and ID cards, and members of the public are advised to request the person’s credentials as part of rigorous safety precautions. We urge community members to welcome the Community Health Workers and to co-operate with them.

Visit from the National Health Minister:

Today, National Health Minister Zweli Mkhize visited the Western Cape, where we presented our provincial response to him and his team. We were able to demonstrate our GIS mapping system, case tracking and data management system which has informed our community screening and testing strategy, as part of our comprehensive health service response to Covid-19.

Minister Mkhize expressed his support for the province’s work in this regard as well as our whole of society approach to ensure that the response to Coronavirus is not just focused on health, but also addresses other important issues such as the economy, sanitation and food and hunger.

As the Western Cape Government, we are cognizant of the need for all levels of government to work collaboratively in order to ensure a comprehensive and effective response to stop the spread of the coronavirus.