Coffee seller Siyathemba Ralo says he barely has enough savings to last for two weeks, let alone the 21-day lockdown South Africa imposed on Friday
The 21-day lockdown came into force at midnight. It restricts people to their homes for most activities including exercise, only permitting excursions for buying food or health emergencies.
The country’s first two deaths from the virus both occurred in Western Cape, 1,000 kilometers to the southwest, while total cases rose above 1,000 from 927 on Thursday, the health ministry said. But enforcing the restrictions will be a challenge of the kind that authorities in some other African countries are already compromising on.
On Friday, in one part of downtown Johannesburg close to the city’s townships, Reuters saw police sweep up 300 homeless people to take them to a shelter while crowds gathered to try to buy groceries or just walk down the streets. Mining companies, the core of its economy, are either cutting or shutting production, although platinum group metal output will continue. South Africa’s airports and ports are also shut, interrupting global copper supplies.Only Moody’s is keeping South Africa’s credit rating above junk, and it is expected to cut to below investment grade on Friday.
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