Lockdown is losing the support of South Africans

[Brian_G]

Politicians are being manipulated.
In a way it's all quite natural - decades ago corporate greed got a massive hold due to that one shortfall of capitalism.
Such extremes never survive but for now we live with the widespread morally bankrupt powers. Their influence is huge people.

 

[MissMapp]

They won't listen, they need to save the people who will die of the virus, starvation takes weeks.

No, they won’t listen. In my view though, most of blame for this catastrophe can be placed at the door of the global news & media agencies. Business has never been better for them as they play on people’s fears, every new death statistic gleefully reported without perspective or context. But just watch, in a month or two the media will shamelessly running articles on how the (other) media caused all the panic and global devastation.

 

[Brian_G]

No, they won’t listen. In my view though, most of blame for this catastrophe can be placed at the door of the global news & media agencies. Business has never been better for them...

That's just the front people of the corporations, who own them.
Now add the WHO, IMF, etc., etc.
Facts.
And I've learnt they manipulate whole governments - Unbelievable? Research it.

 

[Gordon_R]

Lengthy and well written article explaining the drawbacks of an extended lockdown, and how the government is squandering both goodwill and the economy, with limited health benefits:

OPINIONISTA: The protracted lockdown is morally indefensible

At the moment the hospitals are standing empty and we are wasting precious time, allowing the country’s economy and the spirit of its people to bleed profusely. Balancing the spread of Covid-19 against social and economic ruin is a dangerous game, but we are at the crease and the ball is heading...

www.dailymaverick.co.za

 

[Gordon_R]

John Steenhuisen had a live public announcement on the lockdown.

Edit: Video re-uploaded, timestamp changed.

 

[Lupus]

As we've learnt, the muppets only knuckledown when challenged. That's the attitude of most 4th graders, and as we're seeing it seems that most have probably only ever gotten that far.

 

[TEXTILE GUY]

Video: Thirsty man climbs under moving big rig hauling wine, drinks from tank

A man in California took the art of wine tasting to a whole new level.

www.clickorlando.com

Must be a South African tired of lockdown

 

[Gordon_R]

Text transcript:

We must end the ANC lockdown crisis now

The following speech was delivered by the DA Leader, John Steenhuisen MP, during his address to the nation on the Covid-19 lockdown crisis. My fellow citizens, I know you love this country as much as I do. There is a lot to love. We all want South Africa and her people to succeed, and it is

www.da.org.za

The true bravery and compassion, President Ramaphosa, will be in ending this lockdown.

And be warned Mr, President: Unless you come to your senses and end this lockdown crisis, millions more will start breaking the law in the coming days and weeks.

If you don’t end it, the people of South Africa will take charge and end if for you.

As it now stands, the lockdown is a tragic mistake that has already caused damage that risks dooming an entire generation of South Africans to a lifetime of destitution and suffering.

We can’t undo any of this. We can’t turn back the clock.

What we can do is act now to end this lockdown crisis and get as many of us back to work as safely as possible.

That is the only way we will ensure that, once we have defeated this virus, we have a country left to rebuild.

 

[Blue Shirt]

Lockdown has ended for all practical purposes. Traffic is almost back to normal levels, hundreds of pedestrians are on the streets and in the shops, and most small business are back to operating as normal. I see many plumbers, garden services, and other service vehicles on the roads any time of day. Lots of beggars on the street corners as well.

It is time for NDZ to realise that they have lost the support of the public. She should instruct Ramaposer to announce the end now and to acknowledge that the disaster never really existed.

There are probably 10x the people who already had the disease but did not know it, going on the experiences of other countries. The low count of positive cases is only due to the low count of tests performed.

 

[Gordon_R]

News24 have put together an article:

End lockdown now, or South Africans will end it for you - Steenhuisen to Ramaphosa

DA interim leader John Steenhuisen has railed against the continuation of the "destructive lockdown" in its current form, which turned South Africans into "subjects of an authoritarian state".

www.news24.com

 

[lexity]

Lockdown has ended for all practical purposes. Traffic is almost back to normal levels, hundreds of pedestrians are on the streets and in the shops, and most small business are back to operating as normal. I see many plumbers, garden services, and other service vehicles on the roads any time of day. Lots of beggars on the street corners as well.

It is time for NDZ to realise that they have lost the support of the public. She should instruct Ramaposer to announce the end now and to acknowledge that the disaster never really existed.

There are probably 10x the people who already had the disease but did not know it, going on the experiences of other countries. The low count of positive cases is only due to the low count of tests performed.

Agree. I see more and more people are just getting on with life as it was before the lockdown, ignoring silly laws. At least where I live that seems to be the case.

The mind-numbing restrictions, exist but it does seem - thankfully - they are increasingly being seen as opportunistic, and people realise they need to get back to work asap. No doubt the lingering economic effects are taking a huge toll and will do so for some time, but all the more reason to get back to it pronto.

 

[ShaunSA]

News24 have put together an article:

End lockdown now, or South Africans will end it for you - Steenhuisen to Ramaphosa

DA interim leader John Steenhuisen has railed against the continuation of the "destructive lockdown" in its current form, which turned South Africans into "subjects of an authoritarian state".

www.news24.com

"If you don't end it, the people of South Africa will take charge and end if for you."

The people have already ended it

 

[BackStabbath]

Lockdown has ended for all practical purposes. Traffic is almost back to normal levels, hundreds of pedestrians are on the streets and in the shops, and most small business are back to operating as normal. I see many plumbers, garden services, and other service vehicles on the roads any time of day. Lots of beggars on the street corners as well.

It is time for NDZ to realise that they have lost the support of the public. She should instruct Ramaposer to announce the end now and to acknowledge that the disaster never really existed.

There are probably 10x the people who already had the disease but did not know it, going on the experiences of other countries. The low count of positive cases is only due to the low count of tests performed.

 

[Rip Shredd]

Lockdown has ended for all practical purposes. Traffic is almost back to normal levels, hundreds of pedestrians are on the streets and in the shops, and most small business are back to operating as normal. I see many plumbers, garden services, and other service vehicles on the roads any time of day. Lots of beggars on the street corners as well.

It is time for NDZ to realise that they have lost the support of the public. She should instruct Ramaposer to announce the end now and to acknowledge that the disaster never really existed.

There are probably 10x the people who already had the disease but did not know it, going on the experiences of other countries. The low count of positive cases is only due to the low count of tests performed.

Most sensible post I've read about CV-19 so far, by far.

 

[lexity]

There are probably 10x the people who already had the disease but did not know it, going on the experiences of other countries.

For a disease more contagious than the flu not to have already run its course through every township in SA - I'd estimate at least 40 million South Africans - just does not make sense, given the crowded conditions.

If anything, the lockdown would have rendered them even more susceptible because they have been far less spread-out during the lockdown than they would have been otherwise.

The chances are it's been, it's gone and it's done it's thing.

The low count of positive cases is only due to the low count of tests performed.

If you look at the death-rate, it is published as a percentage of positive cases.... and, extrapolating it across the remaining, less densely-populated regions, it's comparatively tiny.

Now, if you look at the death-rate as a percentage of total tests, it is so far below flu and TB, and others, that it is just not significant as a threat.

Put those two observations together, and the fact of damage to millions and millions of families with breadwinners losing their jobs, it's time to end the madness and put your community back on track by getting back to work.

We don't need thin-air-money loans, we don't need any more blurring of the economic statistics which will undoubtedly benefit the ruling class at everyone else's expense. Just end the lockdown so people can start rebuilding their communities.

 

[TheChamp]

For a disease more contagious than the flu not to have already run its course through every township in SA - I'd estimate at least 40 million South Africans - just does not make sense, given the crowded conditions.

If anything, the lockdown would have rendered them even more susceptible because they have been far less spread-out during the lockdown than they would have been otherwise.

It makes perfect sense to me, the lockdown stopped the spread, the infections were spread from 3 provinces, Gauteng KZN and the WC, controlling the movement between provinces is what makes the numbers of all the other provinces who also have plenty of townships to look the way they currently do. Obviously something happened between EC and the WC that did not happen between other provinces, I will put it down to lax control from the authorities in controlling movement and the funerals.

I think your estimate of 40 million people living in townships is also wrong, there are many people who live in traditional townships, there are those in informal squatter camps and there are those who are in traditional villages. You will find that social distancing is only a problem in informal squatter settlements, your Alexandra, Khayelitsha, Diepsloot, Zandspruit and the likes. Old townships are fine, you have a house and a yard, you can lock the gate and stay in your house.

 

[lexity]

It makes perfect sense to me, the lockdown stopped the spread, the infections were spread from 3 provinces, Gauteng KZN and the WC, controlling the movement between provinces is what makes the numbers of all the other provinces who also have plenty of townships to look the way they currently do. Obviously something happened between EC and the WC that did not happen between other provinces, I will put it down to lax control from the authorities in controlling movement and the the funerals.

I think your estimate of 40 million people living in townships is also wrong, there are many people who live in traditional townships, there are those in informal squatter camps and there are those who are in traditional villages. You will find that social distancing is only a problem in informal squatter settlements, your Alexandra, Khayelitsha, Diepsloot, Zandspruit and the likes. Old townships are fine, you have a house and a yard, you can lock the gate and stay in your house.

That figure of 40 million was a rough guess, and refers to those living more or less hand-to-mouth. You can't simply override the priorities of these people. You would probably need another 40 million enforcers.... I suppose that is the snitch-culture which governments try to instill, where people on huge scales start to distrust their neighbours. None of this is new to the human story, btw.

They do a remarkable PR job, with that incessant bumbling-though-amiable-ally-against-exploiters act... paid for through confiscation of private property, of course.

I don't really believe the lockdown 'stopped' anything. The original goal, if you recall, was not to stop the spread but to slow the spread... for the sake of not overwhelming hospitals. Now I hear most hospitals stand empty, yet the lockdown must continue?

 

[Brian_G]

I don't really believe the lockdown 'stopped' anything. The original goal, if you recall, was not to stop the spread but to slow the spread... for the sake of not overwhelming hospitals. Now I hear most hospitals stand empty, yet the lockdown must continue?

It didn't even do much of that. How could it in this wild country of ours... although low let's ignore infection figures for now (info is considered near useless), we just need to look at the very low mortality rate within this side of the world - no LD needed.
However many of us thought its original attempt was a good idea, so not all bad, IF it is ended now.

 

[Brian_G]

...controlling the movement between provinces is what makes the numbers of all the other provinces who also have plenty of townships to look the way they currently do. Obviously something happened between EC and the WC that did not happen between other provinces, I will put it down to lax control from the authorities in controlling movement and the the funerals.

Agree with this part, inter-provincial LD does seem to have worked on the whole. That and our closed borders (maybe not so much with Zim).

 

[TheChamp]

That figure of 40 million was a rough guess, and refers to those living more or less hand-to-mouth. You can't simply override the priorities of these people. You would probably need another 40 million enforcers.... I suppose that is the snitch-culture which governments try to instill, where people on huge scales start to distrust their neighbours. None of this is new to the human story, btw.

They do a remarkable PR job, with that incessant bumbling-though-amiable-ally-against-exploiters act... paid for through confiscation of private property, of course.

I don't really believe the lockdown 'stopped' anything. The original goal, if you recall, was not to stop the spread but to slow the spread... for the sake of not overwhelming hospitals. Now I hear most hospitals stand empty, yet the lockdown must continue?

Stopped/slowed, I think you do get the point I was making, the virus is still pretty much concentrated in 4 provinces, it could have been 3 if it was not for the mess that is the Eastern Cape, the reason for that is the lockdown.