A fashionable protective face mask on display at Wolfgang Schinke's tailoring studio in the Silk City of Krefeld, Germany, 20 April 2020. Because his business with a tailor shop was closed for a long time due to the ongoing coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, Schinke created a small and highly exclusive collection of face masks in cooperation with his friend Pierre Zielinski. They made the couture pieces to order, the price depending on material and effort. Ten percent of the revenue will go to the 'Krefelder Tafel' social project. Picture: EPA-EFE/SASCHA STEINBACH
Uncle Cyril was right on Wednesday evening: I don’t doubt that decisions relating to government’s handling of the coronavirus have been made in good faith.
I have all the sympathy in the world for the decision-makers. But I can’t agree that all government decisions are reasonable and rational. Damn, some of these decisions have left me flabbergasted.
Like the smoke ban. The most bizarre part of it is the explanation of the thought process behind it. When people zol…
The worst, however, has to be Minister Ebrahim Patel’s ridiculous regulations on winter clothing sales.
Look, I’m the first to admit I’m no David Tlale, but I’ll be damned if I took fashion tips from politicians, with the possible exception of Bheki Cele.
Speaking of our police minister: will his boys be policing these regulations? Acting as the fashion police, if you will?
This week, I have seen two officers in a police vehicle, sounding their alarm and waving aggressively at dog walkers who dared to be on the road at four minutes past nine. The thought of how they may treat people who wear T-shirts without jackets gives me nightmares.
Yes, we are all together in this fight against The Virus. We have to accept that we will have to sacrifice some freedom.
Uncle Cyril has promised us government will correct their mistakes. To me, that means he will make sure that we can buy cigarettes and wear T-shirts and underwear without the fear of being beaten up by Bheki’s Boys.
But until then, it is our responsibility to be accountable in the fight against Covid-19. But it is also our duty to refuse to subject ourselves to the whims of a Lewis Carrollesque nanny state.
Previous generations fought for what was right by going into exile. In SA, they participated in mass action, often wearing masks out of fear of recognition. Liberal intellectuals debated the morality of the freedom fight while smoking weed and using words such as “regime”.
It’s much easier to be a responsible activist nowadays. You go into exile in your own home. You still wear a mask. You use words such as “social distancing” and smoke tobacco. And you wear underwear during winter.
Dirk Lotriet.
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