Since March last year, South Africans have been assessing the risks and rewards of their lifestyles daily, knowing it is behaviour which could result in sickness or death.

Now, as the third wave engulfs the country, many are letting go of “risk” assessment and simply going about their daily lives. This while others call for tighter restrictions — especially in hardest-hit Gauteng — as they see how having personal agency over behaviour is ending in disaster...