Govt wasted lockdown time which wrecked the economy – experts

Government exaggerated lockdown regulations at the expense of the economy, but it was a waste of time, experts say.

Thursday marked day 77 of the nationwide lockdown and a large portion of the economy was allowed to resume when the country moved down to level 3 on 1 June.

According to government, the purpose of the lockdown, which came with strict regulations and directives, was to allow time to prepare for an increased number of patients in healthcare facilities when the country reached the peak of its Covid-19 cases.

But according to reports, the department of health only added 350 ventilators to hospitals and 207 critical care beds.

If this was true, then government disregarded the sacrifices forced on South Africans, said Free Market Foundation researcher Chris Hattingh yesterday.

“It appears that the time ‘bought’ through the lockdown – time taken from an economy that was already on its last legs before Covid-19 – has been squandered and, ultimately, counts for nought.

“Such a massive failure of implementation makes light of the sacrifices that were forced upon millions of citizens and businesses,” he said.

South Africa had one of the strictest and longest lockdowns in the world and it has had a harsh impact on all citizens, particularly low-income households.

“Instead of allowing businesses and customers, from the largest corporates to the person trying to make a living in one of our many townships, to adapt and continue operating, virtually every economic freedom was stripped away,” said Hattingh. “To remove people’s ability to earn a living, to such an invasive extent, is incredibly cruel.”

Economist Professor Bonke Dumisa said the National Coronavirus Command Council had made some mistakes in trying to control the pandemic, as the regulations were slightly exaggerated and came at an unnecessary cost to the economy.

These included the ban on the sale of tobacco products and alcohol, prohibiting restaurants from selling takeaways and selling specific clothing items.

“When it comes to stopping supermarkets and other shops from selling ordinary clothing and saying they can only sell winter clothing, it is going overboard.

“The first 66 days, when they said no alcohol and cigarettes and no takeaways, they were closing businesses unnecessarily. I think there was an element of exaggeration on the government’s side. I don’t think it was mischievous, but a question of not getting proper advice.”

– rorisangk@citizen.co.za

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