One step away from house arrest, plus 5 highlights from 'Vrye Weekblad'

Here's what's hot in the latest edition of the Afrikaans digital weekly

24 April 2020 - 07:22
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President Cyril Ramaphosa addressing the nation on Thursday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa addressing the nation on Thursday.
Image: Siyabulela Duda/GCIS

On May 1, SA will take its first tentative steps on the road to more economic activity, president Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Thursday. 

The announcement comes just in time to stop the growing revolt against the lockdown, but there are still questions about government's management of the crisis. 

On paper, it looks like a balanced, intelligent programme to slowly ease the lockdown and is based on the research and advice of experts and scientists.

The devil is in the detail of the programme to phase out the lockdown, though. Ramaphosa said cabinet ministers would decide how it will be rolled out and would communicate it to the public, and judged by our experiences of the past four weeks, it doesn't look hopeful that they'd get it right. 

On a ministerial and bureaucratic level the handling of the crisis has been dogmatic, authoritarian and irrational. 

Basic mistakes have been made, such as not taking into account the role of the informal sector in the economy, the ban on cigarette sales that created a massive smuggling market and the ban on the sale of cooked food.

Ministers were too egotistical to admit these mistakes and fix them, writes Max du Preez in this week's edition of Afrikaans digital weekly Vrye Weekblad.


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But, regardless of all the problems and shortcomings, the measures implemented by government so far could be regarded as successful in the delaying of the spread of infection, allowing hospitals to prepare, isolation centres to be created and equipment to be sourced before we are hit by the worst of the pandemic.

The government's ambitious R500bn package to rescue the economy from collapse, help small businesses survive and prevent famine was widely welcomed. 

But the warning immediately came from all over the country: Just make sure the politicians don't steal the money.

Read the full article in this week's Vrye Weekblad


Must-read articles in this week's Vrye Weekblad

FREE TO READ — IT'S HELL | The relatively low death rate and the impatience with the lockdown have led many in SA to underestimate the devastating scale and impact of Covid-19. It is, in fact, a cruel virus. 

THE BIG QUIZ | Was Marie Curie one of Golden Girls, and do you know your Autshumato from your Krakatoa? Get busy, get your fellow lockdowners together and test your knowledge.

LOCKDOWN IN SIN CITY  | In the City of Coke, aka the City of Gold, those in lockdown are willing to pay premium rates for booze, drugs and smokes.

FREE TO READ — QUARANTINE HOTEL | Discovery members who are affected by Covid-19 but don't need to be hospitalised can stay in a fancy hotel suite at a discounted rate. Who decides who can sell quarantine hotel packages and who can't?

LOCKDOWN DISCOUNT | To help keep you busy during lockdown, we have a special offer: Read Vrye Weekblad for R60 for 60 days. 

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