Lockdown: DA flag ‘irrational regulations’ set to stay through Level 3

The DA may have got what they want as South Africa exits a hard lockdown next week, but the opposition party still remain unimpressed with several factors of the plan. Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed on Sunday evening that the whole country would move to Level 3, but hot-spots – many in the Western Cape – remain under intense scrutiny.

For the past month and a half, South Africans have had to sit at home and watch everything they had built up fall apart. – @jsteenhuisen #level3Lockdown

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) May 24, 2020

“Why must we wait another week?” – DA grow impatient with lockdown plans

In a statement issued after the president’s address, the leadership structures within the DA said they “welcomed the decision”, but the pleasantries stopped there. It didn’t take long for John Steenhuisen to poke holes in government policy, which he claims is costing the country “R13 billion every day”.

“By the time Alert Level 3 comes into effect in a week’s time, it will be a full six weeks too late. There was no rational justification to extend the hard lockdown beyond the initial three weeks, and this extension has now caused irreparable damage to our economy. Ours will be the longest lockdown in the world by next week.”

“South Africans have already paid for the government’s dithering. And why should this only come into effect a week from now? The lockdown costs our economy around R13 billion a day. The President must end it now, not next week. An entire generation will be left to pay the price for the six weeks that destroyed our economy.”

John Steenhuisen, DA leader

DA flag “irrational policies” in Level 3

Steenhuisen and his colleagues are also unhappy with some of the “irrational regulations” that will stay with South Africa during Level 3, and the DA wants the following issues reviewed:

• There is “no reason” for businesses like hair salons to remain shut, the DA claim.
• They also slam the extended cigarette ban, reasoning that the illicit market is booming as most smokers “go underground”.
• The party is also clamouring for structural reform, and want land expropriation and NHI taken off the table.