Residents of Mahikeng in North West say the national coronavirus lockdown is the country’s biggest infringement of the freedom of South Africans in its 26 years of democracy.
They say the regulations have taken away their freedom of movement and association at a scale that has never been seen.
“The Freedom Day doesn’t mean anything at all especially this year. Since there has been this pandemic, we lost count of days. Some young people don’t even know that today is the first day of us black people voting for an elected president in South Africa,” says one resident.
“Our movement is limited but there is nothing we can do. We have to stay at home to flatten the curve. That’s the only way we can beat this pandemic,” adds another resident.
However, legal expert, Advocate Joe Modise says South Africans need to appreciate government’s efforts to contain the spread of the virus.
“We need to appreciate the fact that government is doing all this to protect people from contracting COVID-19. If government is trying to protect you and you are taking it to court. I mean it leaves much to be desired. But are we not seeing the rationale behind the limitation of freedom of movement? (Stopping) freedom of movement is solely done to protect the citizens at large not to contract the virus.”
Virtual Freedom day address:
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday addressed South Africa as the country celebrates Freedom Day. The Freedom Day address was through a virtual broadcast as the country battles COVID-19.
The theme for the 2020 Freedom Day is “Solidarity and triumph of the human spirit in challenging times.”
Below is the president’s address:
Easing of lockdown restrictions in 5 stages.
Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced an ease on the COVID-19 lockdown regulations which will see gradual and phased recovery of economic activity starting from Thursday.
The national lockdown was imposed in March to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
Below are the 5 risk-adjusted stages as announced by President Ramaphosa:
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