Johannesburg - Social media users have been calling for a shutdown for days, and on Monday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa duly obliged.
Members of the South African National Defence Force will assist the South African Police Service in maintaining law and order, and importantly, making sure South Africans remain indoors.
The lockdown comes into effect on Thursday as government pushes for more drastic measures to contain the coronavirus spreading in the country. By Monday, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced that there had been more than 400 confirmed cases of the Covid-19 virus.
This is how some on Twitter reacted to the news of the shutdown.
Remember when ‘Mayivalwe le country’ used to be a joke?
"Mayivalwe le country"
— Campaign Papi 💻 (@SkhumbuzoTuswa) March 23, 2020
2010 - 2019: 🤣🤣🤣🤣💀💀
2020: pic.twitter.com/gs474TUM30
The President heard your call, those of you who’ve been saying mayivalwe le country. Wayivala.
— Xhanti Payi (@XhantiPayi) March 23, 2020
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/LockdownSA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LockdownSA
— Zweli Mbhele (@TheZweli)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/LockdownSA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LockdownSA #LockDownSouthAfrica
— Ulrich Janse van Vuuren (@UlrichJvV)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/lockDownSouthAfrica?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lockDownSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/L1fKB4IGtT
— BrownSkinGirl (@MadondoNomfundo)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/lockDownSouthAfrica?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lockDownSouthAfricaDuring these unusual times (COVID-19) , may we also pray for the women and Children who will be on lock down with their abusers and molesters 💔
— hiv+ accompanied by a undetectable viral load 🇿🇦 (@niqita11)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/cyrilramaphosa?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cyrilramaphosa #LockdownSA #Covid_19SA pic.twitter.com/UgXVaeSJ2s
— Nanga Yem-Yem Dlanga 🇿🇦 (@nanga_dlanga)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/shutdownsouthafrica?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#shutdownsouthafrica #CoronaVirusSA #LockdownSA pic.twitter.com/vLX8gkcruK
— UNDLUNKULU XOLI 🦋💫🚘🌝 (@Undlunkulu_Xoli)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronavirusInSA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronavirusInSA #LockdownSA #cyrilramaphosa pic.twitter.com/yEkvUAmTS3
— Fulu Mulaudzi (@mulaudzibeverly)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/lockDownSouthAfrica?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lockDownSouthAfrica #lockdownSA pic.twitter.com/yd61s6qIbi
— Kuhle_shange (@Kh3tho)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/LockdownSA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LockdownSA
— Lasizwe Dambuza (@lasizwe)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/CyrilRamaphosa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CyrilRamaphosa
It is for us as South Africans to comply! pic.twitter.com/LYIyvJthrV
— Tumi Sole (@tumisole)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/cyrilramaphosa?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cyrilramaphosa pic.twitter.com/bPO9lkIjrH
— Sabi (@Mmasabi_Molekoa)
Damn bruh I have goosebumps !!! This is well thought out and needs us to make it work !!! Mr President sivile
— Anele Mdoda (@Anele) March 23, 2020
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/cyrilramaphosa?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cyrilramaphosais leadership! A 21 days lock down. This is needed to save all of us from #CoronavirusInSA
May God protect us🙏🏾🙏🙏🏻🙏🏽🙏🏿
— Christo (@ChristoThurston)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/Covid19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Covid19virus. Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika @PresidencyZA @CyrilRamaphosa #Lockdown pic.twitter.com/CRL601SKsu
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/CyrilRamaphosa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CyrilRamaphosa, we shall heed your call. We keep you, Minister Mkhize, the rest of the leadership, our doctors & nurses, and all those who will be working tirelessly to fight this virus, in our prayers. 🕯🙏🏾 You are LEADERSHIP! ✊🏾 #SouthAfricaLockdown pic.twitter.com/U9rVMVTHfu
— Hulisani Ravele (@HulisaniRavele)
And from Julius Malema:
Self isolation, stay at home cadres. pic.twitter.com/uW8uKPlBR0
— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) March 23, 2020