17 September 2020
The ANC Parliamentary Caucus welcomes the announcement by President Ramaphosa to move the country to Alert Level 1 of Lockdown from midnight on Sunday, 20 September 2020.
We support the decision taken by our government as this move will allow the easing of restrictions, which will open up more economic activity, a much needed boost to our ailing economy. The move to level 1 comes after the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) has agreed to an action plan for South Africa’s economic recovery. The plan is directed towards building confidence and placing South Africa on a path of investment and growth.
Caucus further supports the reopening of the borders to allow international travel. This decision will have a great impact on the tourism sector as the industry is one of the economic drivers. We commend the measures put in place to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 and urge all travelers to adhere to the regulations set by government.
We also commend the extension of the UIF TERS fund to support workers and companies affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. This intervention by government brings much needed relief to the citizens of our country. We also condemn those employers who have withheld the relief funds from their employees, this is an inhumane act, especially during a pandemic and we urge the Labour Department to intervene.
As the ANC Caucus, we note and support the progress made by government in its efforts to fight the scourge of Gender-based violence and femicide. The identification of the 30 hot spots where gender-based violence is rife is a critical step in speedily identifying, investigating and prosecuting GBV cases.
We urge South Africans that, as the country moves to level one, we continue to adhere to the health and safety regulations to mitigate the spread of the virus. The country is still faced with a deadly pandemic, it is critical that we keep safe to avoid the resurgence of Covid-19 cases.
Issued by the Office of the Chief Whip, Hon. Pemmy Majodina
Enquiries:
Nomfanelo Kota
Acting Caucus Spokesperson
067 415 1089