As the country enters day 49 of the COVID-19 lockdown, where is President Cyril Ramaphosa?
This is the question being asked by Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuizen.
Steenhuizen has accused government of keeping the real COVID-19 numbers a secret.
He made the accusations during his weekly address.
Steenhuizen says Ramaphosa and his administration are not trusting South Africans with the truth.
“It has now been 19 days since the President last spoke to South Africans about the government’s nationwide lockdown in response to Covid-19. Since his announcement of a move to Level 4 of the lockdown, he has been missing in action and has left it to a handful of ministers to communicate the questionable decisions of the National Command Council.”
Steenhuizen has called on Ramaphosa to urgently address the nation and should do regularly at least once a week.
He says the briefings must include the opportunity to answer questions from the media.
“In the context of this lockdown crisis, 19 days is a very long time. Every day that our economy has remained shut has cost our country billions of Rands. Since the President last spoke, countless more businesses have had to shut their doors leaving thousands more South Africans without jobs and with no income.”
Steenhuizen says If Ramaphosa does not immediately take South Africans into his confidence and play open cards with them, he will very quickly lose all remaining public support and compliance.
Faizel Patel
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