South Africa News
SA must get used to the ‘new normal’
While the country moves to alert level 1 at midnight after weathering the Covid-19 storm, there is still a threat of a second wave of infection if precaution is not heeded.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his national address this week, said the country had “withstood the storm” in its fight against the coronavirus and data showed a downward trend.
However, he cautioned the country was still in the midst of a deadly epidemic and the most important task was ensuring it was not hit by a second wave of infections like other nations.
Speaking to the Sunday Tribune, Professor Salim Abdool Karim, clinical infectious diseases epidemiologist and chairperson of the ministerial advisory committee on Covid-19, said while lockdown level 1 meant progress was being made, letting down our guard would allow for additional surges.
“We could not just stop lockdown, it would be too dangerous. We have not reached the threshold for low transmissions though cases are dropping. The threshold would require about 580 new confirmed cases per day,” he said.
Karim said the move to level 1 was to allow the economy to breathe, while essential regulations were contained.
“We have to keep preventative measures like hand hygiene, wearing masks and social distancing. We also need to regulate super-spreading events like spectator sports, religious and social gatherings. Controls also have to be in place for international travel as that is how our Covid-19 journey began.”
He said once the National State of Disaster ended there was no way to enforce regulations since the rules were in the Disaster Management Act and the government would have to come up with other means to enforce the regulations. The National State of Disaster was expected to end on October 15.
Business would open up almost completely next week but months of lockdown left the economy in tatters.
Ramaphosa said the government made strides to plot a way forward and was out of the worst of the economic turmoil. The National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) has agreed to an economic recovery action plan.
“The social partners at Nedlac have made tremendous progress on an ambitious social compact for economic recovery,” said Ramaphosa.
The plan will be overseen by a presidential working committee chaired by the president. Leaders from business, labour and civil society will meet monthly about the plan centred on employment growth. The government has earmarked R500billion for various interventions to keep the economy afloat. These include special unemployment insurance fund payments that have been extended by another month.
“The UIF benefit was extended until the end of the national state of disaster to ensure workers and companies whose income remains at risk can continue to be supported,” he said.
But economist Professor Bonke Dumisa said while he supported the concept of an action plan he was concerned about its implementation.
“The issue of an action plan has been spoken about for ages and while I am all for it I am worried about those at Nedlac with their own agendas who have not come to terms with the fact that money does not grow on trees,” he said.
Dumisa said the US was able to inject trillions of dollars into its economic stimulus but South Africa did not have that luxury.
“We are facing the possibility of high unemployment rates and a sovereign debt crisis. Twenty-one cents of every rand paid to the government goes towards paying debt so we cannot be accruing additional debts due to hidden agendas and emotional reasoning.”
Some of the eased restrictions included gatherings up to a maximum of 250 people for indoor and 500 people for outdoor gatherings. International travel for business and leisure would be open from October 1 subject to containment measures, with flying restricted to OR Tambo, King Shaka and Cape Town international airports.
Ramaphosa said this would be the new normal.
Source: IOL
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has called for transparency, accountability and the elimination of unnecessary expenditures to cut down on the cost of governance in the country. Akpabio made the call on Monday at a one-day dialogue on the cost of governance in Nigeria organized by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, NILDS, in Abuja.
Akpabio, who was represented by Sen. Agom Jarigbe (PDP-Rivers) highlighted the possible factors contributing to the high cost of governance in the country.He said the size of the country’s bureaucracy, the escalating public service wage bills, the overhead costs of appointed public officials, and the salaries and allowances of elected officials are major factors.
According to him, the running of government institutions among other substantial components contributed to weighing down the economy and hindering development efforts. Let us hold ourselves accountable and take responsibility for the betterment of our nation. We have to ensure that our government operates efficiently and effectively, serving the needs of the people and fostering sustainable development,” he said.
The president of the senate emphasized the need to streamline bureaucracy, eliminate unnecessary expenditures, and ensured transparency and accountability at all levels of governance. We must invest in our human capital, empowering our public officials with the necessary skills and knowledge to drive progress.
“And we must foster a culture of innovation and creativity, where new ideas can flourish and transform our nation,” he said.Akpabio urged all Nigerians to remain united, become agents of change and be committed to making sacrifices for the nation. He said that the 10th Assembly was ready to partner with all stakeholders to do everything within its constitutional powers to make Nigeria for all citizens.
Source: pmnewsnigeria
In other news – Bad leaders making the life of Nigerians miserable – Pastor Giwa
The senior pastor of Awaiting The Second Coming Of Christ Ministry, Adewale Giwa, on Sunday, lamented that the economic situation in Nigeria has gone from bad to worse under President Bola Tinubu.
The clergyman noted that bad leaders were intentionally making life miserable for Nigerians. Read more
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Manchester City 0-0 Arsenal. Manchester City and Arsenal handed Liverpool the advantage in the Premier League title race as they played out a bitterly disappointing goalless stalemate at Etihad Stadium.
Liverpool are now top of the table and two points clear of Arsenal after they came from behind to beat Brighton at Anfield, their delight increased by their two closest rivals cancelling each other out.
This was a game that made a nonsense of its billing as a potential classic, as Arsenal’s containing tactics snuffed out City while the Gunners had only limited chances of their own in a desperately poor affair.
Nathan Ake had an early close-range header saved by Arsenal keeper David Raya before going off injured while former City striker Gabriel Jesus posed an occasional threat, just failing to connect with Bukayo Saka’s cross inches from goal after the break.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be happier than City counterpart Pep Guardiola with this outcome – but the real winners were Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool.
Guardiola’s side were under greater pressure to win this match but their usual fluent passing game was rarely in evidence, stifled by the visitors’ organisation and infuriated by referee Anthony Taylor’s reluctance to punish the Gunners for a succession of infringements.
It led to a scrappy, disjointed game in which City were never allowed to gather their usual momentum and rhythm, with even the best efforts of master creators Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva unable to carve out meaningful opportunities for Erling Haaland, who was kept on the margins throughout.
The hosts held sway in possession for most of the second half but it was illustrative of the game that Raya barely had an anxious moment, his counterpart Stefan Ortega also idle for long periods.
Indeed, it is the first time City have failed to score at home in the Premier League since October 2021, a run of 47 games.
The reigning champions, as usual, will remain confident of retaining their title but Guardiola will be bitterly disappointed at his side’s failure to trouble Arsenal, with substitute Jack Grealish on the end of some lengthy post-match advice from his manager.
City are back here at Etihad Stadium to face in-form Aston Villa on Wednesday night knowing they cannot afford any more slip-ups in this tight Premier League title pursuit.
Arsenal arrived at Manchester City with a point to make and a chance to show their improvement at a ground where they have had a miserable record in the past.
The Gunners last won here in January 2015, drawing one and losing eight of their subsequent nine visits before this game.
Here, Arteta set his side out to be fiercely drilled and well-organised to frustrate, a strategy seemingly designed to earn the point they secured rather than risk more for victory.
It was a conservative approach but what it did demonstrate was that Arsenal do have more resilience and character than on previous occasions, when they have sometimes capitulated under City’s attacking assault.
Arteta’s side were composed but also willing to throw bodies on the line when danger threatened, not that they were ever in serious peril of conceding – a tribute to their display in itself.
They have kept clean sheets in both games against Manchester City this season, making them only the fourth team to shut out a Guardiola side twice in the same season.
Whether this is one point gained or two lost remains to be seen, but Arteta seemed satisfied enough at the final whistle.
source – BBC