• News
  • Sport
  • TV
  • Radio
  • Education
  • TV Licences
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • SOUTH AFRICA
  • POLITICS
  • BUSINESS
  • SPORT
  • AFRICA
  • WORLD
  • SCI-TECH
  • LIFESTYLE
  • FEATURES
  • OPINION
Home Politics

Lockdown is doing more harm than good: DA

8 May 2020, 9:10 PM  |
Abongile Dumako Abongile Dumako |  @SABCNews
John-Steenhuisen

Steenhuisen says government's ban on the sale of cigarettes doesn't make sense.

John-Steenhuisen

Image: SABC News

Steenhuisen says government's ban on the sale of cigarettes doesn't make sense.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says the nationwide lockdown is doing more harm than the coronavirus itself in South Africa.

DA Interim Leader John Steenhuisen has called called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to rein in his ministers and says government’s ban on the sale of cigarettes doesn’t make sense.

“The real tragedy playing out here is no longer the coronavirus, but the lockdown itself because this lockdown is going to cost many more lives than it can possibly save. This is a hard truth to speak and an even harder truth to hear but the truth that must be spoken.”

There is no bravery or compassion to be found in this lockdown.

True bravery and compassion is in the mothers and fathers, the grandmothers and grandfathers, who risk arrest or death to break this lockdown, so that they can feed their families. ??https://t.co/vuh3T7RCtx

— John Steenhuisen MP (@jsteenhuisen) May 8, 2020

The DA says it is speaking on behalf of South Africans when it says there’s growing impatience.  Steenhuisen says that’s why citizens are no longer obeying the laws of extended Level 4 lockdown.

“We also know that our country’s economy would only withstand a very limited freeze. That is why originally the lockdown had an end date. Three weeks was that it was going to take to source equipment, get hospitals ready and to train nurses and doctors. Level 4 lockdown is the same as level 5, even more restrictive. We now have a military curfew enforced by more than 75 000 officers, which we didn’t have under level 5 and this time with deadline in sight.”

The official opposition believes there’s abuse of citizens by the state and power is now centralised around a few. The party says the sad reality is that South Africans will lose their jobs during the extended lockdown.

While government has not yet issued a formal response, the Finance Minister had some advice for the DA leader.

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

Gradual easing of restrictions

President Cyril Ramaphosa last month announced five levels that the country plans to follow to gradually relax lockdown conditions that government has set in place as part of efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The country begun the easing of its COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on 1 May 2020, from Level 5 to Level 4.

Level 5 has been described as “high virus spread, and/or low health system readiness”, where only essential services allowed to operate.

According to SA’s risk-adjustment strategy for economic activity, Level 4 is expected to be “moderate to high virus spread, with moderate readiness”.

The infographic below depicts life under Level 4:

 

Loading...

Loading…

Various economic activities such as mining and transportation are slowly being phased in as Trade and Industry Minister explains in the video below:

Coronavirus cases in South Africa

South Africa has confirmed  8 232 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 161 deaths.

 

Loading...

Loading…

Share article
Tags: National lockdownJohn SteenhuisenCoronavirus
Previous Post

ViacomCBS beats revenue, profit estimates as lockdowns boost demand for streaming

Next Post

Put more effort into saving SAA: unions

Related Posts

Council Speaker, Nomazizi Maputle.

Angry opposition parties stage a walkout from a council meeting in Kimberley

3 February 2023, 10:29 PM
File image of basic services

Internal party squabbles in council a cause for our suffering: Schweizer Reneke residents

3 February 2023, 9:16 PM
Unemployed men wait on a street corner in the hope of getting casual work.

SA citizens will be wasting time listening to SONA: Dawie Roodt

3 February 2023, 9:09 PM
Ethekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda.

ANC defeats motion of no confidence in eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda

3 February 2023, 7:52 PM
Chelsea's Thiago Silva heads at goal during a match against Tottenham Hotspur.

Proposed Tottenham Hotspur deal is unjustifiable: Presidency

3 February 2023, 6:22 PM
Allocated empty seats at the eThekwini Municipality Council meeting in Durban, 26 January 2023.

EFF not supporting motion of no confidence in Ethekwini mayor

3 February 2023, 5:05 PM
Next Post
Phakamile Hlubi-Majola

Put more effort into saving SAA: unions

Most Viewed

  • 24hrs
  • Week
  • Month
  • Registration at Unisa closes on Friday, but management says no need to panic
  • King of Bacardi music ‘Vusi Ma R5’ killed in Soshanguve
  • Committee wants to halt planned demolition of North West hospital
  • Shock over proposed SA sponsorship of Tottenham Hotspur
  • Malema threatens nationwide shutdown over power crisis, demands Ramaphosa resign
  • Parts of the Northern Cape to be exempted from rolling blackouts
  • Registration at Unisa closes on Friday, but management says no need to panic
  • VIDEO | St Benedict College’s Matric learner gets 11 distinctions
  • Limpopo matriculant from child-headed household attains diploma pass
  • Female circumcision practice thriving in Eastern Cape
  • ‘Country in a crisis because Ramaphosa does not have courage to confront opponents’
  • ANC to appeal cadre deployment ruling
  • Three nabbed for possession of crayfish worth millions
  • Julius Malema’s firearm trial postponed
  • EFF takes over Speaker position in Ekurhuleni

LATEST

Council Speaker, Nomazizi Maputle.
  • Politics

Angry opposition parties stage a walkout from a council meeting in Kimberley


File image of basic services
  • Politics

Internal party squabbles in council a cause for our suffering: Schweizer Reneke residents


Unemployed men wait on a street corner in the hope of getting casual work.
  • SONA 2023
  • Politics

SA citizens will be wasting time listening to SONA: Dawie Roodt


[FILE IMAGE] A vial of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and an information sheet is seen at Boston Children's Hospital in Boston.
  • Sci-tech

37 measles cases confirmed in Gauteng, five in the Western Cape


One of the tanks supplied by NATO countries.
  • World

Ukraine says new tanks will serve as ‘iron fist’ in counter-offensive


University of Mpumalanga.
  • South Africa

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee visits University of Mpumalanga 


Weather

  • About the SABC
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Disclaimer
  • Site Map

SABC © 2023

No Result
View All Result
  • SOUTH AFRICA
  • POLITICS
  • BUSINESS
  • SPORT
  • AFRICA
  • WORLD
  • SCI-TECH
  • LIFESTYLE
  • FEATURES
  • OPINION

© 2022

Previous Netflix ViacomCBS beats revenue, profit estimates as lockdowns boost demand for streaming
Next Phakamile Hlubi-Majola Put more effort into saving SAA: unions