Ramaphosa’s lockdown is the way to go

Given our history, it is shocking to see armoured vehicles and assault rifle-toting soldiers in our streets, telling civilians what to do.

Yet, this coronavirus pandemic is the single biggest threat to the stability of this country since the demise of apartheid in 1994. And desperate times call for desperate measures.

That is why The Citizen supports the actions taken last night by President Cyril Ramaphosa … even though this means all of us here – and our business – will have to drastically change to adapt to the new, albeit temporary, circumstances.

The alternative really is too ghastly to contemplate. The reality is that, even though we are shocked by the current figure of confirmed cases of just over 400, these figures are two weeks out of date, because of the incubation period of the virus. It is virtually certain that thousands more have been infected, even if they are not now showing any signs.

If we were not forced, by the government, into taking action – or inaction, to look at it another way – then it is also virtually certain that we could have a million infected people within a matter of weeks.

Because much of our population is people who have compromised immune systems – more so than even in the worst-affected country to date, Italy – we can expect that the people requiring hospital care will overwhelm our already struggling health system. And thousands will die.

If we co-operate with Ramaphosa, who is being guided by his experts and by the experience of the Chinese, whose comprehensive lockdown and testing regime has turned around the course of the virus, we can save the lives of thousands.

The harsh measures have been imposed because, frankly, most of us don’t care – about ourselves or others.

If a soldier has to change us, then so be it.

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