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Surely the President cannot give up on us. In fact more than ever he needs us on his side: cajoling, incentivising and sometimes using the stick, writes Mbhazima Shilowa.
26 May 2020 will go down as the day that the lockdown was (unofficially) lifted by President Ramaphosa.
The President must just level with us. It seems he has lost the will to maintain the lockdown. It is now everyone for themselves while the devil takes the hindmost.
We are now in lockdown in name only except for the sectors which for inexplicable reasons remain restricted such as hair and beauty salons, restaurants, hospitality and tourism places.
On Tuesday the President told us that all places of worship will be open with effect from 1 June 2020 with the proviso that the congregants do not exceed 50 at any given time, observe physical distancing, disinfect their premises, sanitise, wear masks and wash hands.
This at the time when there are reports that more than 100 people have tested positive after attending a church service in Frankfurt, Germany.
In Texas, in the US, it is said that a priest who presided at a church service after the easing of the restrictions on churches has died.
Before the sudden change of mind, the government often responded to the call to open churches by pointing out that it was in a church in South Korea where a single "super-spreader" known as "patient 31" caused the rapid rise in positive cases.
Their other favourite example was a church service in Mangaung that resulted in the sudden rise in positive cases there.
What has changed?
Nothing, except lobbying by the church leadership, some of whom have run out of cash.
Why the rush?
After all he had just addressed the nation (a family gathering) on Sunday. It would help if they took heed of the saying: "When in a hole, stop digging."
The more they spin, the more hollow and insincere they sound.
As before, there is no explanation why the change of heart.
No explanation of what scientific advice was given to the government to suddenly change course.
How will churches in rural areas, most of whom are poor, hold services under trees going to adhere to the regulations outlined by the government.
Where will they get water to wash hands when there may not even be water and sanitation in their areas?
Here is a government that says restaurants, places where social distancing is possible as patrons each have their own tables that can be placed a meter and half apart, should remain closed.
Hair and beauty salons most of which take less than 10 people at a time should remain closed.
Hotels where people each have their own rooms remain closed.
The Kruger National Park and other tourist attraction areas remain closed even as people will be in their own cars, their own chalets and again can practice physical distancing.
Unlike churches, these areas all provide an income and safeguards livelihoods.
How is it that I cannot go with my family to Soshanguve to see my ailing sister but could go with them to church in Mabopane if that's where I normally go to for worship?
"Chisa nyama"places across the country remain closed even for takeaways.
Most "chisa nyama" places I have gone to had no more than 20 people at any given time.
A few weeks ago we were told by Minister Patel that we could not buy hot foods because we would congregate around the Woolworths rotisserie.
Nor could we buy any clothing we needed ostensibly for the same reasons. It turns out that not only was it irrational, but a lie.
We can now congregate in places of worship, sing and dance - and if the spirit overwhelms us others who are not supposed to touch us will help us get to our feet again.
"Cest tres bizarre", the French would say.
Since 50 is the magic number does it mean that we can now have family gatherings provided we disinfect the homestead, sanitise, observe physical distancing, wear masks and wash hands?
Here is a government that has not been able to police churches where people have been fed snakes, made to drink petrol and fed grass, yet hopes to be able to police numbers in places of worship, sanitising, wearing of masks, washing of hands and disinfecting.
Mining companies that has elaborate health and safety measures are battling infections as they start operating.
Impala mine in Limpopo, Sibanye and Anglo-gold in Gauteng have had to close after opening recently as workers tested positive.
One would have thought that the government would tread carefully on easing the lockdown in other areas.
From the time when the state of national disaster was declared the government had amassed a lot of goodwill. I would argue that such has now evaporated into thin air.
Many who had abided by the regulations even as they found them irrational are likely to honour them in breach, following only those that they think makes sense.
It is becoming difficult to rebut some of the claims that the President and the government has not only succumbed to big business and the elite but have abandoned the working class and the poor by lifting the lockdown when infections are rising.
I know it is not true. But remembering that most churches that are likely to fall foul of the regulations are in poor areas it gives the lie legs to move on.
Most of these areas have in any case never adhered to the lockdown.
To be clear, the issue is not about places of worship.
It is about the government making decisions on the hoof.
This is made worse by the fact that the President’s addresses are like recorded messages with him taking no questions.
We are left to second-guess the reasons behind the decisions he makes.
Why he needs to be cotton-wooled escapes me.
He is the only government leader who never faces the media and takes questions on the coronavirus.
Even bumbling Boris (Bojo) Johnson and Donald Trump face the press.
Surely this is a matter that Sanef should take up with the Presidency. They should stop acting like stenographers.
Often my mother would say: "Loko n’wana a rilela nanga, n’wu nyiki a chaya. Loko a twa nomo wu vava u ta yi vuyisa". (Give a man enough rope and he will hang himself).
Surely the President cannot give up on us.
In fact more than ever he needs us on his side: cajoling, incentivising and sometimes using the stick.
Instead of giving in to some demands that may lead to increases in infections he should be taking time to point out that the actions he is asking us to take are for our own sake.
In that way while some will ignore his wise counsel many will heed it knowing it is for their own health.
He should always remind us that "isalakutshelwa sibona ngomopho!" (You can’t escape the consequences of your actions).
I am afraid that the decision on the opening of churches and not restaurants, hair and beauty salons and other hospitality industries without a tangible explanation seem like a self-inflicted wound unprovoked.
- Mbhazima Shilowa is a former Premier of the Gauteng Province, trade unionist and Cope leader.
