Staff Reporter
Irresponsible social behaviour could sink South Africa into a sustained second wave of coronavirus infections, Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola has warned.
“The parties that we attend, the taverns that we go to non-stop for the whole night, the night clubs and all kinds of social gatherings that do not contribute to social distancing may lead us to a sustained second wave,” he said during his address to a select group of learners and inmates at the Bizzah Makhate Correctional Centre in Kroonstad on Thursday.
The minister was there to oversee the handover of dignity packs made by the female inmates at the prison for the underprivileged girls whose families cannot afford sanitary pads and other essentials they need when menstruating.
“If you go to a matric dance and dance the whole night, you are inviting COVID-19. And if you go to a funeral the whole day, you are inviting COVID-19,” Lamola warned.
“So, we all have a responsibility and a role to play . . . to protect lives and also to protect the economy.”
Lamola expressed disappointment at the attitude displayed by people blaming the government for the resurgence of COVID-19 while doing nothing to help curb the spread of the disease.
“When we had the strict restrictions, you were complaining that we must relax the conditions so that the economy can function,” he said.
“We relaxed those . . . and said ensure that you do social distancing, wash your hands, put on your mask and do not attend any gatherings unless it’s absolutely necessary, like the funeral of a close family member, but we dropped our guard and we want to live as if it’s a normal life.
“Now that COVID-19 is on a resurgence, you are blaming government saying but why is government not closing everything?
“What exactly do you want? What are your responsibilities as South Africans?
“It’s not only government that will fight COVID-19. Everyone has a responsibility.”
Lamola said South Africa cannot afford another depression in the economy and it’s therefore important for everyone to play a part in ensuring the country does not have another hard lockdown.
“If we are going to put restrictions to all the sectors of the economy because of our own behaviour, we are going to find ourselves in a very difficult economic quagmire with high levels of unemployment,” he warned.
On Wednesday, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced that the country had entered the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic after at least four provinces had recorded sustained increases of cases in recent weeks.
The majority of the new cases have been reported in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
The Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West have recorded lower cases but they are being closely monitored.