DA, EFF push govt to middle ground on health vs the economy

The coronavirus crisis has knocked all political parties in the country out of their comfort zones and forced them to make course corrections – but all are now battling for a position in the debate over health versus the economy.

The ANC, the Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters are all in the gravitational pull of the virus as Covid-19 takes its toll on the population, medically and financially.

The government has been pushed to the middle ground by the opposition DA and EFF.

Standing poles apart ideologically, the DA and the EFF are battling to outdo each other to grab the strategic initiative from the ANC in the ensuing debate, while taking the extreme positions pertaining to Covid-19 and the economy.

But political analyst Somadoda Fikeni said it was all a constituency-serving affair.

“We are in a new terrain where right and wrong are not as clear as they should [be]. It is quite clear that the responses are more the responses of various constituencies than the responses to the virus and or the economy,” he said.

Fikeni’s view came as the ANC, through the government, the DA and EFF moved from a point of convergence to that of divergence on Covid-19. This was contrary to their decision to toe the line after President Cyril Ramaphosa invited all parties to partner with him and speak with one voice on the virus.

Now, a three-direction divergence has emerged between the government, the DA and the EFF on what should be done. This while smaller parties were orbiting away from the centre and unsure where they stood.

The major players are following different routes and adopted varying attitudes on whether to prioritise the saving of lives or the economy – or both.

This is where Fikeni said principle had nothing to do with either of these but more to do with who sponsored, or voted for, each of the parties.

The expert’s view considered Ramaphosa’s move to opt for partially opening up of the economy in terms of his Covid-19 Risk Adjusted Strategy that saw a movement from level 5 to level 4 and level 3 of the lockdown.

This was accompanied by reopening certain areas of economic activities and subsequently the sale of alcohol and, most recently, the opening of restaurants, among others.

All kinds of human movement is allowed but the wearing of a mask must be maintained when one goes out.

Public transport modes such as taxis and flights began loading half capacity and now to full capacity.

It was cigarette sales that continued to be restricted, something that prompted the tobacco industry to take the government to court, but lost.

Fikeni attributed all this to the reality of governance that required Ramaphosa to consider balancing the economy against the need to contain the spread of the virus.

Fikeni said the DA’s stance on the economy first reflected the expectations of its donors – the big business, who suffered massively during the lockdown. The poor, from which the EFF derives its following, constituted the bulk of state grants beneficiaries.

The ANC, as government, had no choice but to strike a balance between its national appeal and the grassroots constituency, hence it took the middle ground.

Besides, South Africa was part of the international community and had to do what the rest of the world did about fighting Covid-19.

The EFF, on the other hand, never moved from the original multiparty position that all restrictions must be maintained.

In fact, the red berets demanded stricter measures, including continuing the ban not only of the sale of cigarettes, but alcohol as well.

EFF parliamentarians opposed the reopening of schools and this week it lashed out at Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula for allowing taxis and flights to operate at full capacity, thereby putting passengers at risk.

But the jury is out as to who will come out victorious and grab the strategic initiative in the ensuing Covid-19 debate to get the ear of the electorate.

If the DA’s John Steenhuisen’s “economy first” approach results in the economy turning the corner, the DA would bask in the glory of its victory.

If there are more Covid-19 infections and deaths than predicted – then EFF leader Julius Malema will stand on the hilltop and shout: “I told you so!”

On Ramaphosa’s stance, Fikeni said: “The neutral stance is likely to prevail because it allows the partial opening of the economy while the fight against Covid-19 continues and, therefore, contains elements of both arguments of this debate.”

– ericn@citizen.co.za

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