Cyril Ramaphosa Lockdown Level 3 South Africa

Photo: GCIS

Lockdown: Ramaphosa asked to explain ‘silence’ on Advanced Level 3

We’re at a very ‘inbetween’ stage of lockdown right now, on the border of Level 3 and Advanced Level 3 – but why is Ramaphosa staying quiet?

Cyril Ramaphosa Lockdown Level 3 South Africa

Photo: GCIS

At the beginning of the week, ministers were talking up the country’s chances of moving to ‘Advanced Level 3’ within days. But with no official communication on the matter coming from Cyril Ramaphosa, some have been left to wonder if the president has ended up with cold feet.

‘To Advanced Level 3, or not to Advanced Level 3’?

John Steenhuisen, the DA leader, has been sharing his thoughts on Wednesday afternoon. An avid supporter of completely scrapping lockdown, the opposition’s front-man has been left perplexed by what Alert Level South Africa is meant to be at. If it’s not Level 3 or Level 2, than what is it?

The term “Advanced Level 3” refers to the relaxation of our current regulations, but only for a few specific industries. Hairdressers, tattoo studios, and sit-down restaurants can open their doors again, but this stops short of pushing the country up a phase towards Level 2. Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the small business development minister, said that we’d have an answer on what comes next ‘by Wednesday latest’.

John Steenhuisen has questions for Cyril Ramaphosa

With most of the working day gone at the point of publishing this article, the DA is getting a little twitchy. Steenhuisen has decided to jump the gun and pleaded with Ramaphosa to explain when exactly a shift to Advanced Level 3 will come.

“I urge President Ramaphosa to provide clarity on lockdown levels 3, 2 and 1 and to give South Africans a better idea of when we can expect to move down to level 2 and then 1.”

“There is a growing sense that the lockdown levels exist to give the illusion of control and of something being done, rather than to actually enhance public safety and wellbeing in a time of heightened risk and uncertainty.”

John Steenhuisen

When does Advanced Level 3 start?

He didn’t stop there, either. Steenhuisen also found a moment to take a dig at the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC), suggesting that they are none the wiser about our current lockdown status:

“There is currently a great deal of uncertainty around what is and is not permitted in level 3. This has been exacerbated by speculation that further changes to an [Advanced Level 3] are being considered. Levels 2 and 1 appear to exist in name only, as the public has zero information on what they entail.”

“Better still would be for the government to abandon this lockdown altogether, and to rather provide a reasonable, sensible set of safety regulations. The impression given by the NCCC is that they are as much in the dark about this as is the rest of South Africa.”

John Steenhuisen

The shadow trade minister has also registered his disdain with the silence coming from Cyril’s office: