The Democratic Alliance (DA) Interim Leader, John Steenhuisen has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to update the nation on the continued lockdown of the country relating to COVID-19.
Steenhuisen says it has been more than two weeks since Ramaphosa last addressed the nation on the issue, when he announced that the country would move to alert level 4 of the lockdown.
He wants Ramaphosa to address the nation at least once a week and also take questions from the media during the briefing.
The DA also wants the President to disclose the scientific data the National Coronavirus Command Council, which Ramaphosa chairs, is using to justify the continued lockdown.
Steenhuisen says they have increasingly expressed their objection to the continued lockdown.
Last week, Steenhuisen slammed the lockdown, saying it is doing more harm than the virus it’s meant to curb.
In the video below, John Steenhuisen speaks about the lockdown:
Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, hit back in a tweet, advising Steenhuisen to “stay in his lane”.
The Leader of the DA, Hon Steenhuisen, must stay in his lane. You have no right to instruct our President to open the economy. That is disrespectful and unwarranted. Please delete your tweet!! Hayibo! Thixo!
— Tito Mboweni (@tito_mboweni) May 8, 2020
I think that we have a twar in the making here @jsteenhuisen about our parties. Let’s see, do you have the support of all in the DA? My sources tell me otherwise. A 3 year post matrix qualification is important they tell me. Next
— Tito Mboweni (@tito_mboweni) May 8, 2020
Cosatu joins calls for lockdown to be eased
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) is the latest organisation to call for the easing of the lockdown.
The labour federation is pleading with government to ease the lockdown as soon as possible to avoid the economy from collapsing.
Cosatu say the coronavirus outbreak has put extra pressure on an already strained economy.
It wants workers to return to work as soon as possible saying South Africans cannot survive on social grant relief and food parcels alone.
In the video below, the federation’s Bheki Ntshalintshali speaks about their call:
Below is an infographic of COVID-19 level 4 lockdown:
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