President Cyril Ramaphosa will meet with business leaders to discuss the impact of the national state of disaster and engage on possible measures to mitigate the impact on the economy at large.
Sunday’s engagement with business forms part of a series of meetings the President has held with various stakeholder constituencies – including communities of faith and the nation’s political leadership – in the week since his declaration on 15 March 2020 of the national state of disaster.
The President declared a national state of disaster over the Coronavirus outbreak in the country.
Following the meeting with business at the Union Buildings, the President will receive a delegation of leaders of political parties who were part of the President’s engagement on Tuesday, 17 March 2020, with the leaders of all political parties represented in Parliament.
“The leaders who will see the President today did not have an opportunity at the meeting at Parliament to deliver statements of support and will therefore do so today with media present,” said the Presidency on Sunday.
Later in the day the President will chair a meeting of the National Command Council which will receive an update on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak; progress and challenges related to implementation of the recently promulgated regulations on the state of disaster and other measures to protect the country, as well as the economic impact.
On the outlook for the period ahead, the Council will consider whether the measures that are currently in place to contain the spread of the virus are sufficient and what further measures are required.
“Following the Council’s deliberations, President Ramaphosa will address the nation in a message that will be broadcast on radio and television, and livestreamed online,” said the Presidency.