President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation last night included the confirmation that we are experiencing a spike in infections as the Coronavirus resurges in our communities and three hotspot areas have been identified within South Africa.
These are Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth), the Sarah Baartman District and the Garden Route.
As of Thursday night, the President imposed new Lockdown rules for the Nelson Mandela Bay region only (Port Elizabeth) although it remains on Alert Level 1.
On that basis, the NHA sends a strong message to all travelling Jockeys that race in Port Elizabeth to ensure that extra precaution is taken whilst present in this hotspot area and upon returning to other racing districts in the country. This situation will be closely monitored by the Chief Compliance Officer, Mr Arnold Hyde and his team.
Should the spread of the virus continue in the current trajectory, we will have no option but to stop inter-provincial travelling by Jockeys to the Eastern Cape.
As we head into the festive season, please remember to continue following COVID-19 safety guidelines.
The fight is not over and we urge you to be diligent and responsible. The non-pharmaceutical measures of wearing masks, practising social distancing, washing of hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and sanitising, is the proven best form of defence.
By acting to limit the spread of the virus, we can manage the load on our healthcare system and ultimately save lives.
Please treat this as an important message to ensure the sustainability and continuation of racing in South Africa.
Media release by the National Horseracing Authority on Friday 4 December 2020
