It was hardly a “mission accomplished” moment.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa looked appropriately dour, and sounded appropriately cautious, as he appeared on national television this week to warn of the dangers of a second wave of infections and to urge the public against relaxing their guard against the virus.
Quote card. Cyril Ramaphosa: “We have succeeded in overcoming the worst phase of this epidemic”
And yet the president’s key message was a simple, optimistic and impressive truth.
“We have succeeded in overcoming the worst phase of this epidemic,” he declared.
As the infection rate here sinks below an important threshold of one new case per day per 100,000 people, South Africa is moving – with relief, and with some pride – into a new phase.
What the president and his scientific advisers describe as “a new normal”. (BBC)