Government has called on business and labour to work with it to conceptualise measures to alleviate the effects of the coronavirus (Covid-19) on the economy, with a particular focus on preserving jobs.

President Cyril Ramaphosa and Deputy President David Mabuza met with the leaders of 14 political parties, on Wednesday, to discuss the viral outbreak and a way forward for the country.

On Sunday Ramaphosa declared the viral outbreak a national state of disaster as coronavirus threatens to derail economic recovery.

One of the considerations from the meeting included measures to support businesses during the outbreak, through an Unemployment Insurance Fund contribution holiday and through the accelerated processing of VAT refunds.

The National Command Council and relevant State institutions will consider the proposals.

South Africa has implemented, from Wednesday, a travel ban on foreign nationals from high risk countries including Italy, Iran, South Korea, Germany, Spain, the US, Britain and China. South Africa has also cancelled visas issued to visitors from those countries and revoked previously granted visas.

Party leaders agreed that the Covid-19 outbreak posed “a grave and real threat” to the lives, livelihoods and prosperity of South Africans and urged citizens to work in partnership and cooperation.

“We hereby demonstrate practically that we are united, as the leaders of our nation, to overcome this global crisis facing our country and our people. Regardless of our political differences, all leaders share a common desire to keep our people safe, to mitigate the impact on our economy, and ensure that the inevitable disruption to lives and livelihoods is reduced,” the leaders said.

Health and Wellbeing

An overwhelming concern for the health and wellbeing of particularly poor South Africans, the elderly and the vulnerable, was expressed at the meeting, with the agreement that decisions should be made with this in mind.

As a result, leaders focussed on food security, particularly for the poor; the need to provide water to impoverished communities; prevention in public transport and centres for Covid-19 testing in rural areas.

The leaders jointly called on all South Africans to take personal responsibility and implement personal hygiene measures such as regular hand washing, avoiding public gatherings and maintaining distance from others.

Leaders also called on citizens not to make “excessive purchases”.

“It is important to understand that the supply of goods remains continuous, supply chains remain intact, and there is no need for stockpiling of any items.”

Leaders also warned against disinformation and the spreading of fake news.

“If we act now, and if we act together, we can change the course of this epidemic, and ensure that our country emerges from this ordeal more united, more determined and more able to build the South Africa we want,” they said.