Former South African president Jacob Zuma speaks to supporters who gathered at his home in Nkandla Former South African president Jacob Zuma speaks to supporters who gathered at his home, as South African court agreed to hear his challenge to a 15-month jail term for failing to attend a corruption hearing, in Nkandla, South Africa, July 4, 2021. REUTERS/Rogan Ward
Former South African president Jacob Zuma speaks to supporters who gathered at his home in Nkandla Former South African president Jacob Zuma speaks to supporters who gathered at his home, as South African court agreed to hear his challenge to a 15-month jail term for failing to attend a corruption hearing, in Nkandla, South Africa, July 4, 2021. REUTERS/Rogan Ward

Home » Steenhuisen: Ramaphosa MUST Enforce Level 4 Lockdown in Nkandla or Scrap Altogether

Steenhuisen: Ramaphosa MUST Enforce Level 4 Lockdown in Nkandla or Scrap Altogether

The scenes currently unfolding outside Jacob Zuma’s homestead at Nkandla, which have broken almost every lockdown level 4 regulation gazetted, are fast morphing into a dangerous and volatile Covid-19 super spreader event threatening the lives of countless South Africans… writes Democratic Alliance Leader John Steenhuisen. President Cyril Ramaphosa must urgently intervene in the chaotic gathering […]

By SAPeople
04-07-21 18:19
in Covid-19 News Updates for South Africa
Former South African president Jacob Zuma speaks to supporters who gathered at his home in Nkandla Former South African president Jacob Zuma speaks to supporters who gathered at his home, as South African court agreed to hear his challenge to a 15-month jail term for failing to attend a corruption hearing, in Nkandla, South Africa, July 4, 2021. REUTERS/Rogan Ward
Former South African president Jacob Zuma speaks to supporters who gathered at his home in Nkandla Former South African president Jacob Zuma speaks to supporters who gathered at his home, as South African court agreed to hear his challenge to a 15-month jail term for failing to attend a corruption hearing, in Nkandla, South Africa, July 4, 2021. REUTERS/Rogan Ward

The scenes currently unfolding outside Jacob Zuma’s homestead at Nkandla, which have broken almost every lockdown level 4 regulation gazetted, are fast morphing into a dangerous and volatile Covid-19 super spreader event threatening the lives of countless South Africans… writes Democratic Alliance Leader John Steenhuisen.

President Cyril Ramaphosa must urgently intervene in the chaotic gathering of Zuma supporters in KwaZulu-Natal which shows a flagrant disregard for the dangers of this pandemic on the lives of South African citizens, and contempt for the rule of law.

It is unthinkable that while the liquor industry, small business, and restaurants have had to endure devastating losses to adhere to these restrictions, members of the ANC and Jacob Zuma’s RET faction can seemingly break them without consequence. The President’s silence on this matter only reinforces what many South Africans have come to believe: that nobody is above the law, except those connected to the ANC’s elite.

There are hardworking men and women in our country who have sacrificed their only form of income under stringent lockdown regulation to pay the price for South Africa’s ill-equipped health system, and the President’s failed vaccination programme. Airlines have grounded planes, provincial borders are shut, and citizens are losing jobs by the millions. Why should ordinary South Africans and their families pay the ultimate price while ANC and Zuma supporters continue to act with impunity?

Lockdown regulations at any level must either be enforced with consistency, or be scrapped altogether. There is no reason why restaurants cannot host a sit-down dinner service, or bars cannot safely serve patrons if thousands of Zuma supporters can gather on a whim without consequence.

If President Ramaphosa wants the nation to believe that he has placed the country above his party, he must ensure that Jacob Zuma and his supporters are held to the same standards as any other South African. If not, he will forever be remembered as the President who arrested surfers and joggers while letting his compatriots off scot-free. Jacob Zuma is an ordinary citizen. It is high time he is treated as one.

WATCH Jacob Zuma addresses supporters at Nkandla, Sunday 4 July

DON’T MISS CARTE BLANCHE Tonight as the show unpacks how Jacob Zuma has reacted to his jail sentence, and what will happen next. Watch in South Africa on DStv Now or stream it overseas in most countries on Showmax International from Tues 06 July if you’re abroad.

Tags: Jacob Zuma John Steenhuisen Level 4 Lockdown Nkandla