Time up for the curfew? Ramaphosa asked to end ‘harmful’ lockdown law

Following days of hysterical panic and border closures across the world, President Ramaphosa chose a different way to react to the spread of the Omicron variant on Sunday evening – he played it cool, and that was music to John Steenhuisen’s ears. But the opposition frontman still wants to see the back of the curfew.

Vaccine mandates on Ramaphosa’s radar

The DA leader praised the ANC government for ‘moving away’ from economy-bruising restrictions. Ramaphosa announced that South Africa would remain at Level 1 of lockdown, despite the fact the new variant is fuelling a rise in cases in certain parts of the country. He also pointed to further changes in the future.

The government is now looking to mandate vaccines for specific activities and locations. Just 35.6% of South Africans are fully vaccinated, and this rate is comparatively low when weighed up against Western and European nations.

In order to keep Mzansi onside, and limit the chance of worse variants popping up, drastic action has been proposed. Within the next few weeks, Ramaphosa and his comrades will explain how compulsory jabs will work.

Steenhuisen calls for curfew laws to be lifted

However, John Steenhuisen’s only axe to grind with his opposite number is in regards to the curfew. He is adamant that this measure ‘restricts our freedom of movement’, and says the time has come to drop this lockdown law.

“We are glad that the government has finally come to its senses and moved away from stifling economic activity, banning beaches, and so forth. But the DA still rejects any restrictions on freedom of movement – meaning we do not support the curfew and continue to call for it to end. These restrictions do more harm than good.”

“We welcome the government’s intention to lift the state of disaster and will hold them to this in the coming months. We also welcome the President’s position on travel bans, and his engagement with foreign travel partners to get them to lift international travel restrictions. If necessary, the ANC should seek foreign aid relief for SA.”

John Steenhuisen

We reject any restrictions on freedom of movement – meaning we do not support the curfew and continue to call for it to end.

— John Steenhuisen MP (@jsteenhuisen) November 28, 2021