Tomorrow, South Africa will wake up to an entirely new reality.

The national lockdown begins at midnight tonight, complete with some new laws that we’ll all have to follow for the next 21 days.

Before these new laws were announced, the country had already put strict measures in place to try and stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Unfortunately, a combination of fake news and unbridled stubbornness led some South Africans to continue their lives as if not much had changed – even after testing positive for COVID-19.

A Ladysmith salon owner, who had travelled to various high-risk countries, tested positive and continued to work despite instructions to self-quarantine, reports TimesLIVE.

National police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo said a list of 27 people, who were at the salon, and a religious gathering, are being sought for testing after coming into contact with the 52-year-old man.

He was subsequently arrested.

Another man, a German, tested positive while at the Kruger National Park. He was also instructed to self-quarantine in his lodge at the park, but instead continued his holiday by moving on to St Lucia in KwaZulu-Natal. Contact tracing is underway to try and locate all of the people that he will have encountered along the way.

Police minister Bheki Cele confirmed on Wednesday that the two cases were being probed, saying that this was a sign that the country would take any breaking of the regulations – and the subsequent lockdown – seriously.

The regulations imposed by President Ramaphosa after he announced a national state of disaster included penalties for anyone refusing quarantine after testing positive.

These penalties include charges of attempted murder. Both the salon owner and tourist could be facing these charges once the police conclude their investigation.

While we’re all going to be staying indoors over the next few weeks, you can make trips to the grocery store or the pharmacy to stock up on essential supplies, when necessary – provided you haven’t tested positive for COVID-19 and have been instructed to self-quarantine.

If you decide to go out into the world with a positive diagnosis, you could be met with extreme consequences.

#StayHomeSouthAfrica – and maybe take a shot at winning a R25 000 piece of jewellery while you’re at it.

[source:timeslive]