DA: SA now entering one of the longest lockdowns in the world

The Democratic Alliance says South Africa is now entering one of the longest lockdowns in the world.

DA leader John Steenhuisen said: “We’re about to enter our seventh week of lockdown, which means we’re fast catching up with the longest Covid lockdowns in the world – Wuhan at eight weeks and Italy at nine weeks.”

He called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to have the “bravery” to end the lockdown immediately.

“There is no bravery or compassion to be found in this lockdown. The 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 and clothe their families. The true bravery and compassion, President Ramaphosa, will be in ending this lockdown.”

Steenhuisen said the laws of the lockdown were making criminals of ordinary South Africans.

“Millions of people are already breaking the law, not because they are criminals, but because they are hungry. Not because they want to, but because they have to. Not because they are bad, but because the laws are bad.”

The lockdown, he said, was causing harm to the country that could not be undone.

He was referring to the number of businesses that were closing and the dire projections that tax revenues would be down by up to a fifth this year, while millions of jobs stand to be lost.

“Every single business that can safely open must be allowed to open immediately,” he said.

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