President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday said South Africans should not be “alarmist” about a possible return to a hard lockdown.
During a question-and-answer session between the president and the National Council of Provinces, Ramaphosa responded to rumours that the country will be placed under another hard lockdown.
Ramaphosa dismissed the rumours of a pending hard lockdown as untrue. He was responding to claims in the NCOP that a tougher lockdown was pending.
South Africans have also raised fears that this would include another alcohol ban.
But the president said it wasn’t true and only he could make that announcement.
“I don’t want our people to be alarmed with rumours such as we’re going to level 3. That is simply not true and I want to assure everyone that that is not true. If it ever gets there, I will be the one to advise the nation as to where we are and where we are going to.”
Ramaphosa said he has received a report on Tuesday on the infection situation but is still to study it.
He said there are signs of concern, including superspreader events.
Ramaphosa said there are concerns that as the country moves towards the festive season, people will let their guard down.
He encouraged South Africans to abide by preventative measures like mask-wearing, social distancing and hand washing.