Mboweni responds to reports of hard lockdown in SA: 'Fake news'

- Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has slammed numerous reports surrounding the suspected clamp down on Covid-19 restrictions

- Mboweni says that there has been an escalation of fake news recently, called for it to be 'punishable'

- This comes as the NCCC meets this week to discuss a possible tightening of the current lockdown amid a second wave of cases

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Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has responded to countless reports of a suspected tightening of the Covid-19 lockdown.

Taking to social media, Mboweni condemned these reports as fake news, commenting that:

"There is an escalation of fake news! This must be nipped in the bud and be punishable! We should wait for official communication to avoid misinformation."

Mboweni encouraged South Africans to await the final call from the government, saying:

"In the meantime follow health protocols! Please. Together we can limit the damage of Covid-19."

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The National Covid-19 Command Council is reportedly set to meet this week and with the high number of infections recorded in recent times, it seems only natural that further measures will be put into place.

As things stand, there is no word on President Cyril Ramaphosa addressing the nation from the Office of the Presidency so it remains a waiting game to see what comes of the situation.

A major concern is the long term impact of another hard lockdown with the nation already battling to kick start renewal after the restrictions were relaxed.

Earlier, Briefly.co.za reported that Democratic Alliance Member of Parliament Dean Macpherson has raised a pertinent question over the Covid-19 lockdown.

When the initial lockdown was announced, it was explained that the restrictions were to build capacity in the healthcare sector.

Macpherson took to social media to question why, now that the second wave is in full swing, this capacity seems nonexistent:

"We were promised extra hospital capacity would be built in the first lockdown and that's why 2 million people had to 'sacrifice' their jobs and more than 40% of businesses would close. Where is it?"

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Source: Briefly News