Steenhuisen: ‘The possibility of any more lockdowns must be rejected’

Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s speech on Wednesday evening, Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen had plenty to say in a fiery statement. He said government should stop fearmongering, bashing the economy and should do away with the National State of Disaster once and for all. 

This comes after Ramaphosa announced that the State of Disaster would be extended by a further month to 15 December 2020 amongst other things.

STEENHUISEN RESPONDS TO RAMAPHOSA’S ADDRESS  

Steenhuisen said it is incomprehensible that the state of disaster has been extended by yet another month. 

“Government cannot keep managing South Africa around a single risk when our nation is so imperiled by far greater risks, such as poverty, hunger and unemployment. We reject with contempt the veiled threat of a return to higher levels of lockdown,” he said. 

He said South Africans need stability and certainty from Ramaphosa that there will be no return to lockdown. 

“The state of disaster has itself been disastrous, fuelling not just a feeding frenzy of corruption, but also illegal land invasions and lawlessness. Government needs to get its act together and put regulations for COVID-19 in place for a new normal until a vaccination is widely available so that the state of disaster can end,” said Steenhuisen. 

Steenhuisen said the state of disaster, the ongoing lockdown, and the continuous threat of a harder lockdown will greatly harm the country’s economic recovery. 

“Government needs to understand that investors like certainty and there’ll be no recovery while the state of disaster remains in place,” said Steenhuisen. 

DA CALLS FOR END TO LOCKDOWN AND STATE OF DISASTER 

The DA has since reiterated its call for government to end the lockdown, end the state of disaster, open the borders, end the curfew and allow South Africa to get back to normal economic activity. 

“The possibility of any more lockdowns must be unequivocally rejected,” said Steenhuisen. 

Steenhuisen said Ramaphosa and cabinet have accused South Africans of acting “recklessly and irresponsibly as if COVID-19 no longer exists”. 

“People know COVID-19 exists. But they know it exists alongside plenty of other risks they face. They know many of these other risks are greater for them – including the risk of lockdown, which has shown to be far more deadly than COVID in lower-income countries due to its effects on poverty, hunger, unemployment, domestic violence and public health in general,” he said. 

“Stop managing South Africa around a single risk, Mr President. Stop the fear-mongering, stop the economy-bashing, and end the state of disaster,” he added.