The ANC says it will use a door-to-door campaign as one of its tools to combat the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. Speaking in his capacity as the party’s leader, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the media on Monday following the party’s extended session of the National Working Committee at St George’s Hotel in Irene, Pretoria.

The meeting which was also attended by the ANC’s provincial leadership was held to discuss the introduction of government’s stringent measures to stop the virus from spreading in the country.

@MYANC undertaking mass education drive to get everyone involved in curbing the spread of the novel Coronavirus.#CoronaVirusoutbreak #COVID19SA pic.twitter.com/Yq4OjhkdDL — African National Congress (@MYANC) March 16, 2020

Ramaphosa says structures must continue working and educating citizens.

“The ANC branch executive committee is required and expected to activate mobilisation to people aware of coronavirus and educate our people. We will do this by embarking on door-to-door work in our communities where we will go from house to house and explain to our people what this is all about and this is going to be necessary as this virus continues to be present among us.”

@MYANC undertaking mass education drive to get everyone involved in curbing the spread of the novel Coronavirus.#CoronaVirusoutbreak #COVID19SA pic.twitter.com/l7y3hVj1JY — African National Congress (@MYANC) March 16, 2020

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa says the national command council will meet with religious leaders on Thursday to discuss their approach to Easter activities. On Sunday, government prohibited the gathering of groups of more than a 100 as one of the measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Ramaphosa says religious leaders will get a full presentation on the coronavirus.

“We will have brought together all religious leaders so that they can get a full presentation about this virus. We can then have a discussion on how, as religious leaders, we are going to address this particularly as we are moving towards very important moments of manifestations; Easter.”

In the video below, the Methodist Church announces that it has cancelled all combined Easter weekend services.

Scores of people are expected to continue with panic shopping on Tuesday after Ramaphosa declared the coronavirus pandemic a national disaster. On Monday, thousands of shoppers descended on shops, clearing the shelves of food, multi-vitamin supplements as well as cleaning products such as hand sanitizers.

Popped up to @WOOLWORTHS_SA to get some fresh dinner stuff. Blimey 🤦🏻‍♀️ lets all calm down to at least an average panic. Anyone got a good dinner recipe for a packet of lemons 😂😂 #CoronaVirusSA pic.twitter.com/mH0ov5OwdD — Leanne Manas (@LeanneManas) March 16, 2020

Sixty two people have so far tested positive for the virus in the country with several more suspected cases being tested.