Media Release: Update on the coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde

12 October 2020

As of 1pm on 12 October, the Western Cape has 2816 active COVID-19 infections with a total of 112 207 confirmed cases and 105 136 recoveries.

Cape Metro Sub-districts:

Sub-districts:

Unallocated: 2141 (2079 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. 

The Western Cape has recorded an additional 2 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 4255. We send our condolences to their families and friends at this time.

200 days: 

Today marks 200 days since the country first went into lockdown. Throughout this period, the Western Cape Government has worked hard to ensure that we were able to respond to the peak of infections, ensuring appropriate healthcare for all who have required it, while at the same time putting in place a number of measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. 

These measures include the establishment of Q and I facilities, the Red Dot transport system, medicine deliveries for stable, chronic patients, and support for schools, ECD facilities and old aged homes to reduce the spread.

Our hotspot management system is aimed at ensuring behaviour change to reduce infections where they are occurring. This system has allowed us to monitor and track each sub-district so that we slow the spread of Covid-19. Each of the hotspot leads reports back to cabinet regularly on progress in their assigned areas.

We lobbied for businesses to be allowed to open safely so that we could avoid a second pandemic of unemployment, which would further deepen the need for urgent humanitarian aid. 

These past 200 days have been long and hard for many in our province- who have lost loved ones, jobs and their livelihoods. We have also seen the best of humanity emerge, as NGOs, civil society and ordinary people, all stepped forward to play a part in helping. 

I want to say thank you today to every single person who has played a part over the past 200 days. From the incredible healthcare workers, to the teachers, social workers, law enforcement officers, farm workers, and supermarket staff who have been out on the frontline serving the people of this province. I want to thank all those people and organisations who have made donations, who have been out on the ground helping in their communities and who have been sharing important information and resources. I would also like to thank the citizens of the Western Cape, for wearing your masks, and for being safe- because every time you do this, you help slow the spread of the virus even more.

But we are not yet out of the woods. My message today to all of our residents, but especially our young people is that there is still work to do. You might believe that the virus will not have a major impact on you if you are young but we all have a responsibility to protect ourselves and those most at risk. I therefore encourage you to harness your energy, and your enthusiasm to make a real difference. You can do this by wearing your mask, ensuring that you are still social distancing and regularly washing your hands. This is how we will be able to move forward, safely.

Issued by Western Cape Office of the Premier, 12 October 2020