Covid-19 lockdown: Rami Chuene weighs in on heated custody debate

Actress Rami Chuene has joined the debate about child custody during the 21-day national lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19, saying the health and safety of children should be most important.

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday announced a lockdown from midnight on Thursday until April 16 and several ministers have, in the past two days, outlined the details.

On whether parents with shared custody would be allowed to see their children during the lockdown, minister of social development Lindiwe Zulu told a news briefing on Wednesday that her department “still [has] to deal with custody/visitation rights”.

“Some will say 21 days is a long time. The movement of children is going to be difficult ... parents ... have custody rights.”

A statement after the briefing read: “ ... we request that children remain with the primary custody holder and should only be moved in exceptional circumstances.”

Social media was flooded with messages on the issue and Rami took to Twitter to share her experience.

“I’m a co-parent and there was no debate about a week here, a week there. Most important thing is the health and safety of the kids.

“Primary parent must do the lockdown. Let’s go past 21 days then we’ll see. It’s no more business as usual, bathong! Your rights over my kids health? No.

“Life has changed, we’re dealing with a different normal. Adjust. Your kids are not idiots, sit them down and explain the dangers out there.”