The Presidency has welcomed the announcement by the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) leader, Reverend Kenneth Meshoe, that he has been tested for Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Meshoe was among the leaders of political parties represented in Parliament, who met President Ramaphosa in Cape Town on Tuesday, 17 March 2020.
On Sunday, Meshoe confirmed publicly that in the days before the meeting with the President (before the prohibition of public gatherings numbering more than 100 people), he had participated in a religious gathering in the Free State.
Five international guests, who had attended the gathering, subsequently tested positive for the virus.
“Reverend Meshoe, who has been asymptomatic since his participation in that gathering of approximately 200 people, announced on social media this afternoon, Sunday, 22 March 2020, that he had been tested.
“The Presidency welcomes Reverend Meshoe’s adherence to the testing protocol and wishes him well as he awaits his results,” said Presidency spokesperson Khusela Diko.
Meanwhile, Diko said President Cyril Ramaphosa himself is in good health, and is observing the announced protocols as stringently as he can, while performing his duties.
This follows on the President’s announcement of COVID-19 as a national disaster
“At this point in time, there is no cause for concern about the President’s health or reason for the President to be tested. To the best of the President’s knowledge, no person with whom he has recently had contact – including Rev Meshoe – has symptoms of, or tested positive for the virus,” said Diko.