South African Lockdown Antipathy Puts Ramaphosa on Back Foot
- Top scientist says plans to phase out lockdown is nonsensical
- Coronavirus cases have continued to mount despite restrictions
A person closes a gate leading to food parcels while residents look on during food distribution in Diepsloot, Johannesburg, on May 8.
Photographer: Emmanuel Croset/AFP via Getty Images
After initially being lauded for his decisive response to the coronavirus crisis, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has been forced onto the defensive over his administration’s handling of one of the world’s most severe lockdowns.
Some of the most stinging criticism came from Glenda Gray, a member of a panel that’s advising the government on the pandemic, who said plans for a phased exit from the lockdown were nonsensical. Limits on when people may exercise, bans on sales of tobacco and summer clothing, and continued school closures also weren’t based on scientific evidence, Gray, the chairwoman of the South African Medical Research Council, said in an interview with News24, a Cape Town-based website.