“This Freedom Day, we find ourselves engaged in a struggle that has thrown into sharp focus the poverty and inequality that still defines our society. The coronavirus pandemic forces us to confront this reality,” said Ramaphosa in his national address. 

“Though we are certainly all braving the same tide, we have not been impacted in the same way by this pandemic. Some people have been able to endure the coronavirus lockdown in a comfortable home with a fully stocked fridge, with private medical care and online learning for their children.” 

He said for millions of others in South Africa, this has been a month of misery, of breadwinners not working, of families struggling to survive and of children going to bed and waking up hungry.  

“The social relief measures announced last week that are now being implemented are therefore as much about narrowing the gulf of inequality as they are about supporting vulnerable citizens through this trying time. With every day that passes, this experience is teaching us much about ourselves, about our society and about our country,” said Ramaphosa. 

“We are learning about the limits of our endurance, about our relations with others and about our very nationhood. The true lessons of this experience will not just be about the necessity of social distancing, proper hand washing and infection control.” 

He said other lessons from this pandemic would be about whether South Africa has the ability to turn this crisis into an opportunity to invest in a new society, a new consciousness and a new economy. 

“In this new society, the privileged cannot afford to close their eyes to the plight of the poor and sleep peacefully at night. This is the time when we should actively work to build a fair and just country. In the South Africa that we all want, no man, woman or child will go hungry, because they will have the means to earn an income, and our social assistance programmes will be matched by efforts to enable communities to grow their own food,” said Ramaphosa. 

On the 26th annual Freedom Day commemorations, Ramaphosa preached the gospel of unity and generosity.

“Let us also stand united against poverty, inequality and hunger. We can only overcome this crisis and rebuild our shattered economy if we work together. Let the good that has come from this experience – of collective action and unity of purpose – continue,” he said. 

“Let the generosity of spirit endure. We owe it to the memories of those who came before us to live the values they cherished, of empathy, compassion and solidarity. As we are reminded this Freedom Day, we have known far worse and we have prevailed.”

On Sunday night, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa stood at 4,546 – an increase of 185 over the previous day's figure.

The total number of tests conducted to date was 168,643, of which 7639 were done in the past 24 hours, he said in a statement.

"We regrettably report another [one] Covid-19-related death in the Western Cape, which increases the total number of deaths to 87. We convey condolences to the family and appreciate our frontline workers who treated this patient," he said.

The provincial breakdown stood at Western Cape with 1608 confirmed Covid-19 cases; Gauteng has 1331;  KwaZulu-Natal 863; Eastern Cape has 535; Free State has 110; Limpopo has 31; North West has 28; 23 confirmed cases in Mpumalanga; and 17 in the Northern Cape.

African News Agency (ANA)