Extension of lockdown: the government is the problem, not the solution

15 August 2020 

Reacting to the relaxation of the lockdown, AfriForum said communities should realise that it is reckless to still expect the government to act responsibly and look after their interests. The civil rights organisation is of the opinion that that government cannot be lauded for removing the ban on tobacco products and liquor, as well as interprovincial travel, because these were irrational right from the start.

Ernst Roets, Head of Policy and Action at AfriForum, says corruption, in particular theft of money earmarked for relief because of the COVID-19 pandemic, has not been dealt with.

“Now to thank the president for relaxing the lockdown measures would be like a prisoner thanking his kidnapper when he is set free. We are not suffering from Stockholm syndrome,” says Roets.

The President had been warned by the country and the world’s foremost experts to act differently, but he succumbed to pressure from his corrupt comrades and could not resist the temptation to hold on to power in an irrational manner.

In the coming weeks, AfriForum will publish a plan containing practical steps the government could take to empower the private sector to repair the damage caused by the lockdown. The organisation is working on a comprehensive strategy for self-management amounting to minorities assuming responsibility for their own future and taking practical action to acquire greater control over their own affairs.

Issued by Andrea van Wyk, Media Relations Officer, AfriForum, 15 August 2020