While the initial 10 cases were people who traveled to different European countries in recent weeks, the health department this week said the number of local transmissions was growing.

“The level of infections has now risen to 150 and that for us is concerning because that already tells us if you extrapolate that it could start rising in greater numbers,” President Ramaphosa said.

Wednesday’s count stood at 116, meaning the cases increased by 34 in 24 hours.

The South African leader said the rise reinforces government’s call for social distancing to slow the spread of the virus.

On Thursday morning, President Ramaphosa met with church leaders to engage them on the role they could play to combat the deadly virus that has claimed the lives of over 9,000 people globally.

Churches, according to President Ramaphosa, made a commitment to cancel all meetings in line with a ban on gatherings of more than 100 people.

He said the measures government put in place, including travel restrictions, were in the interest of saving the lives of South Africans.

“In announcing the national state of disaster I said that extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. We have to carefully weigh the needs to protect the public from coronavirus with ensuring the disruptions to their lives is also reduced,” President Ramaphosa said.

The South African Council of Churches’ leader Bishop Malusi Mpulwana condemned religious leaders who have been resisting government’s calls for social distancing.

“Churches who refuse to do this could face charges of endangering (people’s lives),” he said, adding that COVID-19 was “worse than war”.

The Anglican Church, the Dutch Reform Church and the Nazareth Baptist Church also committed to support government’s efforts.

President Ramaphosa said the meeting decided that there should be a national day of prayer to overcome the spread of the pandemic.