• Thabile Mange writes:
Since the beginning of violence in SA eight days ago, the fight against Covid-19 has taken a back seat.
This happened right at the peak of Covid-19, which is easily transmittable, and has claimed more lives than before. May the soul of the departed rest in peace.
These violent protests were super-spreaders. Looters and protesters didn’t wear masks. Neither did they maintain social distancing. Their focus was on barricading roads, looting and torching trucks. As a result, many businesses have folded, adding to the high unemployment rate.
This violence has delayed the Covid-19 vaccination programme. Funerals were also postponed. Business, including retail, pharmacies and banks were closed. Therefore, the country’s economy came to a standstill.
On Friday, July 16, whilst addressing the nation, the president admitted that government was caught napping by the violence that erupted in KZN and Gauteng. Honesty is the best policy. But what was Intelligence doing? There is no easy answer.
That said, the ruling party is now implementing the notion “don’t let crisis go to waste”. After the violence and looting slowed down, the governing party deployed its Cabinet ministers (senior party leaders were also there) to talk directly to the masses in the affected areas. The purpose was to discourage citizens from destroying buildings and infrastructure.
The president went to KZN to see the aftermath of the violence and talk to residents there. Then on July 18 he was in Soweto to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s birthday. He was in a charm offensive, so to say.
This move by the governing party is just a ploy to win the hearts and minds of the masses. It’s also a way of kick-starting its campaign for the forthcoming local government elections, using state resources. The more things change, the more they remain the same.
