Premier Oscar Mabuyane lauds front-line workers in policy speech

Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane took the time, while delivering his policy speech on Tuesday, to thank those working on the province’s Covid-19 front line.

While delivering the office of the premier’s policy speech, Mabuyane said the low mortality rate and number of recoveries in the province was due to the “outstanding work” of front-line workers.

“We can attribute the low numbers of positive cases, low mortality rate and the growing number of recoveries from this virus to the lockdown regulations that were put in place by our government and, more importantly, to the outstanding work of our front-line workers, the police, doctors, nurses and essential workers in municipalities and in government who risk their lives every day to provide critical services to society.

“To them we are hugely indebted,” Mabuyane said.

With 2,748 positive Covid-19 cases as of May 25, Mabuyane said while the pandemic had claimed lives in the province,  more than 1,300 people had recovered from the virus.

“In the midst of all this unrelenting pandemic there is a silver lining.

“Our people are fighting back against this virus.

“We now have 1,335 people who have recovered in the Eastern Cape, among them our colleagues such as province police commissioner Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga, and this should assure our people that coronavirus is not a death sentence.

“However, it is still deadly and that is why we should all adhere to social distancing, wash our hands regularly with soap and wear our masks at all material times,” Mabuyane said.

Mabuyane, who has faced calls to act against some members of his cabinet, said everyone should remain united in the war against the virus.

“The bigger prize for all of us is to save as many lives of our people as possible during this pandemic.

“We will win this war against this virus. 

“We might not win it tomorrow, we might not win it next month and we might not win this year, but ultimately our victory against this virus is certain,” he said.

Mabuyane said his office would continue with the province’s small-town revitalisation projects which included Port St Johns, Ingquza Hill, Umzimvubu, Ndlambe, Sunday’s River Valley, Elundini and Raymond Mhlaba municipalities.

He said additional towns and municipalities had been added to the development programme.

“Planning work for development of these new towns is scheduled to start in this financial year,” Mabuyane said.