Disunity puts additional strain on the already fatigued leadership
People walks past the Nelson Mandela graffiti in the City Bowl of Cape Town on Freedom Day during lockdown. PICTURE: ESA ALEXANDER/SUNDAYTIMES
The period of lockdown has seen much pushback, putting additional strain on the already fatigued leadership of the government. In many ways it exposes the level of disunity in society. And yet the situation demands of us to come together as a force to fight back against the coronavirus in the same way as the great military leaders of the past.
There is no benefit in pulling in opposite directions at the expense of all-out efforts to flatten the curve of infection. Some among us are obsessed with pedantic interpretations of the regulations to score cheap political points, even as Covid-19 deaths are skyrocketing. Others are clearly motivated by protecting their own interests, without any consideration of the broader objective to save lives in the long term. These attitudes offer nothing to help the nation defeat this virulent enemy.
The brouhaha over the sale of liquor is a case in point. It is easy to see that the main goal of the ban is to curb alcohol-related admissions, to lessen the burden on hospitals. That’s why co-operative governance & traditional affairs minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma emphasised that everyone should take the responsibility to report those who use other means to find a drink amid a ban.
The reality is that some liquor outlets are involved in clandestine supply — such as the cigarette mafia — sometimes with the help of rogue elements in the police. These violations aid and abet the spike in Covid-19 infections and clog up hospital trauma units.JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an e-mail with your comments. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Send your letter by e-mail to [email protected]. Anonymous correspondence will not be published.
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