Toby Shapshak
Amagunya okugoma azokwethulwa okokuqala ngqa emlandweni waseNingizimu Afrika, kusho uMengameli uCyril Ramaphosa etshela isizwe ngeSonto ebusuku.
Abantu kuzodingeka bagonyelwe “imisebenzi nezindawo ezithile”, njengezindawo zokusebenza nezindawo zomphakathi.
“Sisenabantu abaningi abazwakalisa ukungabaza. Lesi isikhathi sokugonywa.” Ubuye wengeza wathi: “Imithi yokugoma iyasebenza, futhi imigomo isindisa izimpilo.”
Emhlanganweni wokuqala wesizwe ezinyangeni ezedlule, uMengameli wathi izwe lizongena kwigagasi lesine ngoZibandlela. Kodwa uthe ngeke kube khona imikhawulo emisha ye-Covid-19 okwamanje nokuthi umvalelo usamile kwizinga lokuqala okwamanje.
Lokhu kwenzeka naphezu kohlobo olusha lwegciwane i-Omicron olutholwe ososayensi baseNingizimu Afrika, i-World Health Organization ngoLwesihlanu.
Ukuhlukahluka kwe-Omicron kuthuse umhlaba wonke, njengoba amazwe amaningi esebeke imingcele yokuhamba. URamaphosa udlulise amazwi anzima emazweni enze lokhu. “Le mikhawulo ayinasizathu futhi icwasa ngokungafanele izwe lethu kanye namazwe angomakhelwane beNingizimu Afrika.
“Ukunqatshelwa kokuhamba akwenziwanga isayensi,” esho.
URamaphosa uncome ososayensi baseNingizimu Afrika “abadume umhlaba wonke nabahlonishwayo” abathole uhlobo lwe-Omicron.
“Ukutholwa kwalolu hlobo lokuhlukahluka kusenesikhathi kusho ukuthi sikuhlomele kangcono ukulivika,” esho.
“Siyazi ukuthi lolu hlobo lokuhlukahluka yilona oludala izifo eziningi ezitholakala eGoli… futhi manje selubonakala kuzo zonke ezinye izifundazwe ezweni.”
Ukuthelelana eGoli sekunyuke kwafinyelela ezigidini ezilinganiselwa kweziyi-1,600 kanti ukuthelelana okusha kwansuku zonke ngesonto eledlule kusuka kuma-500, ngokuthelelana okusha kwansuku zonke ngesonto eledlule.