Photo taken on April 10, 2020 shows an empty street in Johannesburg, South Africa. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday announced that the country's lockdown aimed at stemming the spread of COVID-19 would be extended for another two weeks. (Photo by Yeshiel/Xinhua)
CAPE TOWN, April 10 (Xinhua) -- President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday voiced "the utmost confidence" in the measures being taken to fight COVID-19.
All the measures that have been taken, from declaring a national state of disaster to imposing a nationwide lockdown, "have been correct and absolutely necessary," Ramaphosa said at St George's Cathedral in Cape Town, joining millions of Christians around the world for the virtual Good Friday Service.
"Despite the heavy burden that has been placed on our people over the past two weeks, we have understood that for the greater good these sacrifices have had to be made," the president said, referring to the introduction of the lockdown two weeks ago.
"Our people have endured the extreme restrictions on their daily lives with patience and fortitude," he said.
On Thursday night, Ramaphosa announced that the 21-day lockdown will be extended by two weeks, to the end of April.
He also announced a range of measures to protect the economy and those at risk of infection, to care for the sick and to support those in need.
"This is a time of great uncertainty for us all," Ramaphosa said at his Friday address.
Many South Africans are anxious about their health and the health of their children, worry about how they will be able to make ends meet when they have no jobs, and the poorest of the poor worry where their next meal will come from, said Ramaphosa.
"This is a time of great trial for our country," he said. "We will at times find ourselves and our very faith sorely tested."
If South Africans are to emerge victorious they must remain vigilant and continue to comply with the restrictions that are so necessary to preserve human life, Ramaphosa said.
He said that since the lockdown began, the rate of identified new cases has slowed, and together with other measures like closing the borders and putting an end to public gatherings, the country is seeing progress.
Official figures showed that the lockdown has helped reduce the rate of infections from a daily increase of about 40 percent before the lockdown to just four percent after.
As of Friday, the country has recorded 2,003 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 24 related deaths.
"If we continue to observe social distancing and proper hygiene, if we continue to scale up detection and testing to ensure those who need medical care get it, we will be able to turn things around," Ramaphosa said.
South Africans, he said, have to expend their every effort and energy to ensure that this period of hardship does not leave their economy in ruins.
"We have to give support to those who need our help in any way we can," said Ramaphosa.
"I call upon each of you to make a donation, no matter how small, to the Solidarity Fund that was established to combat the coronavirus pandemic."
