A depressing picture dropped into my inbox yesterday, highlighting the terrible mistakes the South African government has made in its Covid-19 containment strategy. The country is the only intense orange-red spot in Africa, with a Covid-19 case rate that puts it in the bottom-stream class with the United States and Brazil.
Unlike the US and Brazil, whose presidents have appeared indecisive on social distancing, mask-wearing and other measures touted to curb the spread of the virus, South Africa has maintained a very strict, and strange, lockdown policy.
The New York Times graphic could accompany any of the following pieces on BizNews:
- In ‘Scientists, please fight to end SA lockdown, it’s a COMPLETE failure’: Save the nation, John Taylor argues that silent scientists are allowing the government to destroy the future;
- Number-cruncher Dwaine van Vuuren produces numbers to demonstrate that the SA economy stagnates while government tweaks lockdown; and
- Tobacco ban: Let’s call an end to this failed experiment is a reminder of the loss of huge tax revenues caused by the bizarre prohibition on cigarette sales.
And there are more BizNews articles and podcasts in a similar vein, which reflect the message in this distinctive map that SA’s tough lockdown hasn’t worked to protect us from contracting Covid-19.
PS: Don’t miss the BizNews Midweek Catch-up Webinar with Linda van Tilburg at noon today which focuses on SA’s devastated hospitality, tourism and leisure sectors – and what the plans are to revive them after Covid-19 lockdown. Sign up here to ask high-profile guests questions and add your voice to the debate: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2632221349207190800.
Community comments
It is a huge mistake to rely on the NY Times to interpret statistics.
They chose to hide the obvious: if you test more you detect more of the disease.
This is primary school logic, but the politically inclined media, for obvious reasons, don’t want to portray the facts.
UI believe that the disease follows a predictable pattern:
