It’s a question of “damned if you do or damned if you don’t” for President Cyril Ramaphosa after his weekend announcement of stricter Covid-19 regulations.
Although the president said it was “with a heavy heart” that he imposed the two-week restrictions under alert level four, some of the reactions have been uncomplimentary.
Too late, too little, ill-advised, and unfair, were some of the criticisms of the regulations.
Covid-19 cases – driven by the Delta variant – have risen exponentially in at least five provinces.
On Sunday, Ramaphosa banned all gatherings – except funerals with a cap of 50 people – and prohibited the sale of alcohol.
The president also kept the 9pm – 4am curfew, closed schools early, stopped sit-down meals at restaurants, and restricted travel to and from Gauteng, the epicentre of the spike.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) outrightly rejected the regulations and said they would not comply until there was a plan to vaccinate all people in South Africa.
On Friday thousands of EFF members ignored Covid-19 prevention regulations and descended on SA Health Products Regulatory Authority offices in Pretoria, where they demanded the use of Chinese and Russian vaccines.
Both vaccinations are still being assessed.
EWN is reporting that Gauteng police have confirmed the EFF has been charged with contravention of the Disaster Management Act following its mass protest in Pretoria.
Wendy Alberts from the Restaurant Association complained there was a complete lack of engagement and consultation with the industry.
Alberts said if the restaurant industry was spreading Covid-19 why aren’t workers vaccinated yet?
Reacting to the stricter regulations, the Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen said: “Ramaphosa is to blame for both third-wave deaths and third-wave lockdowns, because of the massive failure in vaccine acquisition and rollout”.
The National Liquor Traders Council (NLTC) has warned that some industry members are considering defying the recent ban on the sale of alcohol, saying employees need to earn an income to support their families.
“The president can make an announcement that subjects our liquor traders to almost perpetual poverty without providing other means that are going to cushion against the blow. We feel that it is unfair that the industry continues to be targeted this way,” said NTLC convenor Lucky Ntimane.
“We are not going to let this decision by the president stand. We are going to take him on … we are going to consult with our members today. If needs be, it means we will defy this ban.
“Who is going to support us for the next two weeks? What is better? Breaking the law for supporting our families?
“For us, we feel that we need to be taken seriously and we will do that, and whatever is necessary.”
On Sunday, the Department of Health said the “cumulative number of Covid-19 cases reported in South Africa on 27th June 2021 is 1 928 897 with 15 036 new cases reported”.
There are 158 998 active cases in the country.
“There are 122 reported deaths, which brings the total to 59 900. The recovery rate is 88,7%,” said the department.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases said a total of 55,920 tests were conducted in the last 24 hrs with a 26.9% positivity rate.
