A post on the Facebook page “Polokwane news 24” claims that South Africa will go into a second Covid-19 lockdown from 1 December 2020 to 31 January 2021. It says this is due to an increase in the number of positive cases.
“In order to reduce the number of people who have Covid-19, the country will have to go on another nationwide lockdown,” it says.
The post has a photo of South African president Cyril Ramaphosa sitting at a desk with the country’s flag behind him. Ramaphosa often addresses the nation from this position. But while the photo may give the post some credibility, the claim that South Africa is going into another lockdown is false.
On 27 October, while answering questions in parliament, Ramaphosa dismissed rumours of a pending hard lockdown as untrue, saying people in South Africa should not be “alarmist”.
“I don’t want our people to be alarmed with rumours such as we’re going to level 3,” he is reported to have said. “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.”
Addressing the nation on 11 November, Ramaphosa said the government would be implementing a “resurgence plan”, in response to rising infections in some parts of the country. But some restrictions would be relaxed.
“Normal trading hours” for the sale of alcohol are being restored and international travel to all countries will be allowed. He did not mention a second lockdown.
If a second lockdown had been announced, it would have been widely covered in the media. There have been no reports, and the Facebook post is false. – Africa Check
“In order to reduce the number of people who have Covid-19, the country will have to go on another nationwide lockdown,” it says.
The post has a photo of South African president Cyril Ramaphosa sitting at a desk with the country’s flag behind him. Ramaphosa often addresses the nation from this position. But while the photo may give the post some credibility, the claim that South Africa is going into another lockdown is false.
Ramaphosa addresses rumours
On 27 October, while answering questions in parliament, Ramaphosa dismissed rumours of a pending hard lockdown as untrue, saying people in South Africa should not be “alarmist”.
“I don’t want our people to be alarmed with rumours such as we’re going to level 3,” he is reported to have said. “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.”
Addressing the nation on 11 November, Ramaphosa said the government would be implementing a “resurgence plan”, in response to rising infections in some parts of the country. But some restrictions would be relaxed.
“Normal trading hours” for the sale of alcohol are being restored and international travel to all countries will be allowed. He did not mention a second lockdown.
If a second lockdown had been announced, it would have been widely covered in the media. There have been no reports, and the Facebook post is false. – Africa Check
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