Covid 19 results not available after 9 days

I was in contact with a person who tested positive for covid 19. I started having symptoms so I decided to go for a covid 19 test at the local clinic. I tested on the 9th January 2021 and I still haven't received my results. The question will be how accurate are the statistics we see on the news everyday if it takes more than 9 days for a patient to receive his/her results. What do I tell my employer if I don't have any results to validate my covid 19 status? I am based in Mpumalanga - Bushbuckridge - Mkhuhlu.