Dlamini-Zuma: Too early to predict lockdown extension
Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, says it is still too early to predict if the current coronavirus lockdown will be extended.
Dlamini-Zuma made the comments at a media briefing in Tshwane on Thursday.
“It is still too early to know whether the lockdown will be extended or not. It’s only been seven days. Even in these seven days, there has been a lot of grant payments so there has been a lot of movement with people collecting their grants,” she said.
Although the COVID-19 numbers have not significantly risen during the first week of the lockdown, government has cautioned South Africans that this could still change.
The country recorded 82 new infections on Thursday, bringing the total number to 1462.
If the rate of the infections significantly increases, then government may be compelled to extend the lockdown.
Dlamini-Zuma says assessments on the feasibility of extending the lockdown are underway.
“There is research being done and at the right time government will make that assessment and make a determination, but for now it is still too early,” she adds.