The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday announced the closure of public schools for a month from Monday, July 27.
The President said the decision to close schools was not taken lightly by the government, adding that it followed extensive consultations with the education sector.
He said Grade 12 pupils and their teachers would close for one week, returning to school on August 3, while Grade 7 pupils would return to school in two weeks, returning on August 10.
The President also announced that the current academic calendar would be extended beyond 2020 as teacher unions had called for.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s COVID-19 cases have risen by 13 104 to reach a new total of 408 052.
A further 153 new COVID-19 related deaths took place in the last 24 hours taking the new total to 6 093. Their breakdown is as follows:
- 48 from Eastern Cape
- 31 from Gauteng
- 38 from Kwazulu Natal
- 8 from Northern Cape
- 28 from Western Cape.
Breakdown of global Cases
| Region | Cases (as of 23 July 2020) |
| America | 7 948 513 |
| Europe | 3 147 860 |
| South-East Asia | 1 571 317 |
| Eastern Mediterranean | 1 429 084 |
| Africa | 642 387 |
| Western Pacific | 272 829 |
| Total | 15 012 731 |
South Africa Statistics
Provincial Breakdown – Positive Cases
| PROVINCE | CASES (AS OF 23 JULY 2020) | % TOTAL |
| Eastern Cape | 69 445 | 17,0 |
| Free State | 13 443 | 3,3 |
| Gauteng | 148 854 | 36,5 |
| Kwazulu-Natal | 53 406 | 13,1 |
| Limpopo | 6 068 | 1,5 |
| Mpumalanga | 8 987 | 2,2 |
| North West | 15 901 | 3,9 |
| Northern Cape | 2 970 | 0,7 |
| Western Cape | 88 928 | 21,8 |
| Unknown | 50 | 0,0 |
| Total | 408 052 | 100 |
Provincial Deaths & Recoveries
| PROVINCE | DEATHS | RECOVERIES |
| Eastern Cape | 1 393 | 53 591 |
| Free State | 62 | 1 821 |
| Gauteng | 1 187 | 77397 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 515 | 18 786 |
| Limpopo | 33 | 2 781 |
| Mpumalanga | 52 | 4 018 |
| North West | 48 | 4 019 |
| Northern Cape | 23 | 1 152 |
| Western Cape | 2 780 | 72 695 |
| Total | 6 093 | 236 260 |
Source: sacoronavirus.co.za
** If you think you have been exposed to the COVID-19, please call the government’s 24-hour hotline on 0800 029 999 or visit https://sacoronavirus.co.za/ for more information
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