Staff Reporter
President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation at 1900 hours today on developments in South Africa’s risk-adjusted response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The president is expected to announce a further adjustment to Alert Level 1 of the national lockdown which would see more sectors of the economy being allowed to resume operations.
This comes on the back of a marked drop in new infections across the country and an improved recovery rate which now stands at 89.5 percent.
The address follows a meeting of the National Coronavirus Command Council on Monday, a meeting of the President’s Coordinating Council on Tuesday and a special sitting of the cabinet today.
The President’s Coordinating Council is co-chaired by the president and his deputy, David Mabuza, and brings together ministers, premiers and the leadership of the South African Local Government Association and the National House of Traditional Leaders.
Ramaphosa’s address will be broadcast and streamed on a range of platforms that are accessible to South Africans and international audiences.
The country now has a cumulative total of 651 521 confirmed cases of the acute respiratory disease.
Only 772 new cases were recorded in the country on Tuesday.
The death toll now stands at 15 641.
The Free State has 42 255 confirmed cases with a recovery rate of about 67.3 percent.
The province has recorded about 838 deaths.