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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced new wide-ranging national procedure in the wake of the global coronavirus pandemic on Sunday in a briefing to country.
President Ramaphosa said that no gatherings of more than 100 people are permitted as well as stringent new travel measures.
While these measures are in keeping with what experts call, "flattening the curve" and thereby helping to prevent the spread of this highly contagious virus, it must be said that the effects on South Africa's weak economy – which is already in recession – will be felt across various sectors.
READ NEXT: A bit late, but Ramaphosa's coronavirus response was on point.One of the sectors that are expected to be hardest hit is the arts as it is a community funded by public gatherings such as theatre shows, cinemas, and festivals - which mean that a large portion of funds will stop following.
The Cape Town International Jazz Festival, KKNK, Pink Loeries, AfrikaBurn and more events have been cancelled or postponed in the wake of the spread of the epidemic.
READ NEXT: Large gatherings of more than 100 people temporarily prohibited in South Africa.
South African actor, Rob van Vuuren added his voice to the growing chorus of concern, on Monday. The husband and father expressed his mixture of support for the social distancing guidelines and anxiety about his stream of income and ability to provide for his dependents. He posted: "While I applaud the Govt's decision to act decisively in the face of this disaster my income is effectively frozen now. I don't know how I'm going to pay my bond. Next month I'll be wondering how I'm going to feed my family."
He went on to say: "And of course I am not the only one. So many of us in SA live hand to mouth, and there are way more people living in a far more precarious situation than myself. Heavy days."
SEE ROB'S TWEETS HERE:
Echoing Rob's concerns, local presenter Minnie Dlamini also wrote about her anxieties relating to paying her bills in the wake of income loss.
Minnie wrote: "Coronavirus is messing with my money... the question is, with so many things being cancelled is the bank going to understand when debit orders bounce back? Just curious..."
SEE MINNIE'S TWEET HERE:
Ndlovu Youth Choir also posted about the effects of the shutdown writing: "It's been a difficult week for the arts."
SEE THEIR FULL TWEET HERE:
