Media Release: Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde

17 November 2020

As of 1pm on 17 November, the Western Cape has 4294 active Covid-19 infections with a total of 121 139 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 112 371 recoveries.

Cape Metro Sub-districts:

Sub-districts:

Unallocated: 2175 (2019 recovered) 

Data note: It is not always possible to check and verify that the address data supplied for each new recorded case is correct, within the time frames required to provide regular and timely updates. This means that in some instances, cases could be allocated to the wrong sub-districts. We are working with the sub-districts to clean and verify the data and where errors are picked up locally, cases will be re-allocated to the correct areas.  

Due to some technical issues experienced in updating the data dashboard today, the data reflected in this release may differ slightly from the data on the Western Cape Government's data dashboard. This is due to a time difference in the time at which the data was accessed.

The Western Cape has recorded additional 12 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 4474 . We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time. 

Data to inform our dignity and wellbeing interventions:

Today’s cabinet meeting was focused on dignity and wellbeing and we received presentations from the theme leads as well as each of the hotspot working groups looking at important focus areas including issues around the provision of meals, data on stunting and malnutrition, immunisations, literacy programmes and shelters for the homeless and victims of gender-based violence. 

We are still busy collecting and collating data in some of these areas, so that our interventions are evidence-led and the work that we do and the services we deliver are focused where they are needed most. 

Our data on the provision of food, indicates that in October over 346 000 meals were provided by state funded kitchens. A further 25 000 meals have been provided through a program launched by DEDAT to provide vouchers to community kitchens, which allows them to purchase supplies from local businesses and suppliers. Over 4.5 million meals have also been provided through the school feeding scheme. 

This is in addition to the work that the Department of Agriculture is doing as part of their One Home One Garden campaign, helping to establish food gardens that will help families supplement their food supply, with nutritious vegetables they grow themselves. 

In line with my commitment in my recovery speech that this government would place a strong focus on ECDs, we are also tracking ECD data. This sector has been deeply impacted by Covid-19 and the lockdown. These centres play an important role in our economy- creating jobs in communities for (mostly) women, while at the same time, creating safe spaces where parents can leave their children when they go off to work. 

Currently, only 45% of the number of pre-Covid ECD centres are operational in the province. Through the Department of Social Development, we have assisted 2849 ECDs with the PPE they need to keep children safe. However, there are many others who have indicated that they are not yet ready to open. 

This data will allow us to understand the work being done in this space, with a view to establishing a special consultative forum with key stakeholders in order to ensure that those who need it, are able to access ECD care for their children. 

The hotspot teams have also been tasked with identifying the groups and organisations in their respective hotspots aimed at building social cohesion. These include various sporting federations, NGOs and other community organisations who are working on the ground to improve dignity and wellbeing. 

Dignity and well-being encompasses many aspects of a person’s life, starting from before birth. Building dignity and wellbeing is a mammoth task and requires the support of all of our partners- including all spheres of government, civil society, businesses and individuals. Linking our work in the dignity and well-being space with our other priorities of jobs and safety, will help to ensure that we are able to improve the dignity, health and wellbeing of the people of this province, so that they can lead lives that they are proud of. 

Update 16 November 2020

As of 1pm on 16 November, the Western Cape has 4700 active Covid-19 infections with a total of 120 921 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 111 759 recoveries.

Cape Metro Sub-districts:

Sub-districts:

Unallocated: 2131 (2013 recovered) 

Data note: It is not always possible to check and verify that the address data supplied for each new recorded case is correct, within the time frames required to provide regular and timely updates. This means that in some instances, cases could be allocated to the wrong sub-districts. We are working with the sub-districts to clean and verify the data and where errors are picked up locally, cases will be re-allocated to the correct areas.  

Due to some technical issues experienced in updating the data dashboard today, the data reflected in this release may differ slightly from the data on the Western Cape Government's data dashboard. This is due to a time difference in the time at which the data was accessed.

The Western Cape has recorded additional 9 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 4462. We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time. 

Skills development as a pathway to jobs and dignity for youth:

Today, I had the opportunity to visit the Motus Technical Training Academy to see how their work readiness programme is helping to change the lives of young people in the province. The programme takes young people who have just finished matric at technical schools and provides them with workplace readiness training, before placing them into three to four year apprenticeships in the motor industry.  

During this time, the apprentices receive a monthly stipend, and are able to prepare to write their trade tests and become qualified artisans. 

The Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism has provided funding to the programme because it is important that we develop a wide range of skills in the province. Having a strong pipeline of skills, which includes technical skills, makes us an attractive investment destination, while also making young people more employable.  

The Golden Arrow Bus company is one of the businesses that has opened its doors to apprentices from the academy and I had the opportunity to meet some of them today. It was heartening to see how these young people are making full use of the opportunity and are thinking and planning for their futures. 

During my visit, I heard that apprentices from the Motus Academy receive Golden Arrow bus passes for the duration of their training, which ensures that they are able to get to work every day without having to use their stipend money for transport. 

I was also very pleased to see a number of young women enrolled in the programme, as many artisan careers, particularly those in the motor trade, have traditionally been male dominated.  

The latest jobs data released last week shows that over 60% of South African youth are unemployed. One of the key focus areas of our recovery plan is saving jobs and creating the enabling environment to create new jobs. Equipping young people with skills that will help them find jobs or to start their own businesses when they qualify, will help us to achieve this goal. 

Support for wine tourism jobs: 

The Covid-19 lockdown has had a serious impact on many jobs, with the tourism and wine industries particularly hard hit. Today, Minister Ivan Meyer and the Department of Agriculture in the province launched the Wine Tourism Worker Support Stipend. By reprioritizing R12 million of the Department’s budget, the stipend will enable support to 1333 wine tourism workers. These are wine and food service employees, who are employed in a winery tasting room in the Western Cape. 

The stipend of R3 000 will be allocated per person per month for three consecutive months – the peak tourism months of December 2020, and January and February 2021 – to mitigate projected job losses. Each winery may claim for a maximum of 10 employees to give as many wineries access to the fund as possible, and all wineries are able to apply on behalf of their existing, permanent employees.  

The aim of the fund is to protect the jobs of wine tourism workers by subsidising their salaries for a key quarter of the tourism calendar. 

Applications for the fund can be made through Vinpro. The claim form can be downloaded from www.vinpro.co.za/wine-tourism, and once completed, submitted to [email protected].  

UPDATE 13 November 2020

As of 1pm on 13 November, the Western Cape has 3959 active Covid-19 infections with a total of 119 783 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 111 383 recoveries.

Cape Metro Sub-districts:

Sub-districts:

Unallocated: 2275 (2039 recovered) 

Data note: It is not always possible to check and verify that the address data supplied for each new recorded case is correct, within the time frames required to provide regular and timely updates. This means that in some instances, cases could be allocated to the wrong sub-districts. We are working with the sub-districts to clean and verify the data and where errors are picked up locally, cases will be re-allocated to the correct areas.  

Due to some technical issues experienced in updating the data dashboard today, the data reflected in this release may differ slightly from the data on the Western Cape Government's data dashboard. This is due to a time difference in the time at which the data was accessed.

The Western Cape has recorded additional 11 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 4441. We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time. 

World Diabetes Day:

Tomorrow, we mark World Diabetes Day which is observed around the world, to raise awareness about the illness which impacts millions of people around the globe.

As a diabetic myself, this is a cause close to my heart.

When diabetes is not properly managed, it can result in other serious health issues such as blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, and lower limb amputation.

We also know that diabetics are the highest risk group for serious illness and death if they contract Covid-19.

For this reason, the Western Cape Government introduced the VECTOR (Virtual Emergency Care Tactical Operation) programme on 17 July. We recruited doctors who would consult telephonically with diabetic patients who had tested positive for Covid-19, recommending that those who were at highest risk be admitted to one of our facilities for observation. For the lower risk diabetics, and those who declined admission, the team checks in daily to monitor their health and their blood sugar levels.

Between the launch of the Vector programme and 30 October, 1786 patients have been placed on the programme. Of these, 1488 had fully recovered by 30 October 2020. We also saw a significant decline in the death rates associated with this group, which were at about 28% prior to our interventions, and fell to below 5% within the first month of operations.

In addition to the Vector programme, our chronic medicine deliveries have also delivered medications to all stable chronic patients at their homes. This allowed us to ensure that vulnerable groups like diabetics, receive life saving medications, while also reducing their risk of infections.

The theme for World Diabetes Day this year is The Nurse and Diabetes so I would like to pay tribute to all of those hard working nurses, community healthcare workers, and also the doctors in the Vector team who have been on the frontlines providing care to diabetic patients throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the years since I was diagnosed as a diabetic, and during the time that I had Covid-19, I have experienced the care and support of the nurses and healthcare workers in this province.

Nurses and community healthcare workers also play an important role in the day to day management of diabetes- providing care, support and advice on how to manage the illness through healthy lifestyle habits.

A healthy and balanced diet, and regular exercise can reduce the risk of diabetes, as well as other illnesses such as obesity, and hypertension, which are also commonly found in conjunction with diabetes. The Western Cape Department of Health's World of Wellness programme promotes a healthy and active lifestyle as a way to prevent or manage these illnesses.

The following are common warning signs of diabetes. If you are experiencing one or more of them, you should visit your local healthcare facility to be tested for diabetes:

Extreme thirst

Frequent urination

Hunger

Weight loss

Urine smelling sweet

Fatigue

Blurred vision

Poor wound healing

The Western Cape Government has identified dignity and wellbeing as one of the key pillars of our recovery, and ensuring that citizens are healthy, and able to manage conditions such as diabetes, will help us to ensure their continued wellbeing.

Issued by Western Cape Office of the Premier, 17 November 2020