The latest installment of Covid-19 state address by the president on the relaxed lockdown controls for less infected locations is likely to set a cat among the pigeons.

On Wednesday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa shocked the nation by announcing the softening of restrictions for some parts of the country while keeping others on a tight leash.

Provinces with low infection rates have been rewarded with level 3 lockdown. A status that ushers the much anticipated sale of alcohol albeit on limited bases. The North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape are some of the areas which have experienced fewer cases. Without an iota of doubt, they are in the reckoning.

Meanwhile, Covid-19 hotspots regions like the Western Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and lately, the Eastern Cape will remain on level 4 regulations.

The President’s Covid-19 addresses are usually followed by relevant departmental ministers with detailed breakdowns of his speech. Which areas of SA qualify for the eased level 3 lockdown will (likely) be announced soon.

Western Cape (WC) accounts for 50% of all infection and death cases in SA. Alarmingly, the Eastern Cape province is reporting a sudden spike in the total number infected people. Some of which, according to pundits, are imported from the WC.

As of Wednesday, May 13, 2020, recorded cases stood at 12, 074 and 219 deaths in the southern base of Africa. South Africa is testing more people than it did earlier in March when new positve cases were reported.

Ramaphosa reiterated that the Health Department has increased its patients-carrying capacity due to the time accumulated from the initial nationwide shutdowns.

The increase of facilities capability is a feature that will enable the government to quarantine those who test positive for Covid-19 instead of sending them home for self-isolation.