First take: ‘Sit tight, we have no idea what we are doing’

In what might have been one of the most disappointing speeches given by President Cyril Ramaphosa on the coronavirus pandemic to date, one thing remained crystal clear: Government is at a complete loss on what to do.

For example: After weeks of disturbing images coming from some of our land border posts showing backlogs kilometres long, the answer is now to simply close these borders.

His address on Monday evening did not mention any potential increase in efficiency to resolve the problem. Nor to amend the red tape that creates these backlogs. Nor to install water points, or portable toilets, or even to send out military medics to help. (But the army can patrol beaches, remember?)

Nah, just close the borders. That should solve the problem.

Field hospitals are apparently also being brought back into action.

Remember back in March and April last year when millions upon millions of rands were apparently being spent to set up field hospitals in order to help hospitals and clinics with the surge?

They disappeared in a puff of smoke and are only now apparently being reactivated despite the new Covid-19 strain having been made public in November last year.

While the President said that about a third of the 15,000 Covid-19 patients in hospitals are on oxygen, the sum total of his remarks regarding field hospitals consisted of: “…there is an intensive focus in our health facilities on increasing oxygen supply and activating field hospital beds.”

No details, no public action plans. Only half a sentence.

Rest assured South Africa because the answers are as clear as mud during a time when we are looking for leadership and guidance. At a time when people are scrambling to find hospital beds for loved ones.

In essence, the entire address to the nation comes down to placating the populace, asking us to sit tight and wait for vaccines that may come at some stage.

Probably not soon. At some stage. Maybe. Hopefully.

Ramaphosa said that approximately 40 million people would need to be vaccinated in order to reach herd immunity – that is 67% of South Africans.

Orders have been placed for 10% of the population.

“We have put in place a comprehensive vaccination strategy to reach all parts of the country,” he said.

Where is said strategy? How will it be funded? How will it be rolled out? When? Where? In what time frame?

Where are the details?

Clear as mud, yet again.

In the meantime, wash your hands, wear a mask, and stay at home as much as possible.

But, please go to work and keep the economy going.

Schools are about to open and understandably, parents are concerned about sending their children out into a second wave.

The reassuring answer from the Commander in Chief: “The National Coronavirus Command Council is dealing with this issue, and we will provide guidance on this matter in the coming days.”

In the coming days…

Again, clear as mud.

The fact of the matter is that while we are in the midst of a second wave – with infection and death rates far outstripping the first – government does not have many answers to give, if any at all, besides closing borders and beaches, and banning booze.

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