21-day nationwide lockdown announced for South Africa

[Geoff.D]

Just came from the shop after having worked until 5pm.

PnP, Woolworths, Checkers, Game and Woolworths Engen shelves are all empty.

No fresh fruit, Veg, Tinned food, Toilet paper, Cereal, Eggs, Cheese, Baking goods, Long life Milk and very limited fresh milk and cheeses. Very limited meats.

I actually went buy stuff I need like veg to cook with. I left empty handed with the last 2 loafs of white bread on the shelf. Very disappointing.

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The sad part of all is that stockpiling fresh produce is just going to lead to mass wastage. The stuff is going to go off faster than most families can consume it. So all this is just leading to many other's being denied the opportunity to buy what they need and can consume.
And, can you imagine the profits being made by the large food outlets right now? I bet all of them are going to cry poverty as a result of the lockdown when all can see that the exact opposite is true.
The only correct way should have been to implement a rationing system for essential goods.

It once again illustrates the gross incompetence of the current crop of government Ministers in this country. They have no clue how to do anything! The ANC is a failure one so many levels.

 

[Swa]

I went in to try and pick up the fresh produce and bread that I could not get the day before. A total of 9 items. yet I stood in a blasted queue for 40 minutes trying to pay what with the hoarders and their R 3 000 trolleys fouling up the works.

Took me 2 hours just to get bananas, apples, canned peaches, and toilet spray. Post office Spar had a 30 minute queue just to get in. Seems unnecessary as it just pushes the problem outside. Jansens had a queue going right through the parking lot so thought forget it. VC Spar had no queue to get in but then a huge one at the tills that confusingly split into several for each till.

We've been living day to day with me only getting the essential stuff every few days due to my mom being sick (not Corona related) so not like panic buying but just the essentials. Couldn't get two thirds of what I wanted. Hopefully under lockdown things will calm down so I can do actual shopping.

 

[Geoff.D]

We are hoping the same. Spent 2 days trying to do our normal weekly shopping and then gave up. Will try tomorrow again - put to the test all this BS about not being able to walk to the shops and seeing what will happen when I stick my nose out of the gate.

 

[Dames]

If I need to go to the doctor tomorrow and they pull me over, how will that work?

You’re allowed to seek medical attention.

 

[Gordon_R]

Approaching midnight on Thurs 26th:

 

[VooDooC]

I live almost right next to the high way N1 and this has been the quietest ever. It almost feels unreal

 

[AdrianH]

Took me 2 hours just to get bananas, apples, canned peaches, and toilet spray. Post office Spar had a 30 minute queue just to get in. Seems unnecessary as it just pushes the problem outside. Jansens had a queue going right through the parking lot so thought forget it. VC Spar had no queue to get in but then a huge one at the tills that confusingly split into several for each till.

We've been living day to day with me only getting the essential stuff every few days due to my mom being sick (not Corona related) so not like panic buying but just the essentials. Couldn't get two thirds of what I wanted. Hopefully under lockdown things will calm down so I can do actual shopping.

Here in UK things have become more normal at the shops. Some items not available but they are not packed with people either. If you go within two hours of opening most things including fresh fruit, meat and veg are available.

I would say the panic buying started beginning of last week, so expect maybe 1 1/2 weeks before things settle down.

 

[John Tempus]

5mins until the yearly PURGE.

No punishment for crime for the next 21 days as our founders intended.

 

[TheRoDent]

I bought 25 cartons of Stuyvesant and got 'em kept. Time to sell them for R5 a loose.

Will trade bandwidth for loose cigarettes when my stock runs out

 

[John Tempus]

Will trade bandwidth for loose cigarettes when my stock runs out

I stocked up on about half my regular requirements but if I run out I sincerely hope this gives me a real no-choice way of an actual attempt to stop smoking.

Maybe something good can come out of this sh!tshow.

 

[Swa]

Happy new y... oh wait. Happy lockdown.

 

[ScottulusMaximus]

Right... Now what?

 

[Fulcrum29]

People are still driving around in my area. I guess people had lockdown get-togethers.

 

[daveza]

People are still driving around in my area. I guess people had lockdown get-togethers.

Maybe they live in their cars.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Maybe they live in their cars.

...or perhaps, stolen cars.

 

[zoozi]

I have no idea of the metro/police/army members we have enforcing this, but I can't help think it will be focused around rural, poorer areas. They have the highest levels of population density, HIV, malnutrition, high blood pressure, low education around hygiene and will see the most unrest. Some of this must have gone into strategy-making around the lockdown, we'll probably see far higher numbers of enforcers in those areas. Please don't abuse this if that's the case, we need to play by the rules to make this lockdown effective.

 

[Swa]

I have no idea of the metro/police/army members we have enforcing this, but I can't help think it will be focused around rural, poorer areas. They have the highest levels of population density, HIV, malnutrition, high blood pressure, low education around hygiene and will see the most unrest. Some of this must have gone into strategy-making around the lockdown, we'll probably see far higher numbers of enforcers in those areas. Please don't abuse this if that's the case, we need to play by the rules to make this lockdown effective.

Of course, they will be deployed where you usually find the most unruly.

 

[Swa]

Reading this article is both clear and unnerving. Seems to have been drafted by Stalin/George Orwell/etc:

Coronavirus: Lockdown explained by government, Part 4: Basic movements

In what is expected to be the final press briefing before the onset of South Africa’s national lockdown, Cabinet ministers from the security cluster attempted to clarify some of the many questions around what basic movements the public will be permitted.

www.dailymaverick.co.za

My local 7/11 could not feed a dog for a week, the Spar is a reasonable choice, but PnPay offers a different selection. No ways can I eat the same food for 21 days...

Just more of the ridiculousness surrounding this. So now I must go around in a circle from one shop to the next paying more than I can afford until I find everything. Meanwhile there's a Makro and Checkers a few kilometers away with everything at cheaper prices. More contact and more cramped spaces.

 

[Craig_]

Another emigre, bitter and hurt and has a lot to say about a country he no longer lives in.
See this often.

He isn't wrong.

 

[semiautomatix]

Another emigre, bitter and hurt and has a lot to say about a country he no longer lives in.
See this often.

These people often have brother, sisters, mothers, fathers, friends and other family back in South Africa. Don't think this whole situation doesn't affect them either.