"This Is Unprecedented" - South Africa Invokes Military-Controlled Lockdown As Infections Soar
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"This Is Unprecedented" - South Africa Invokes Military-Controlled Lockdown As Infections Soar

South Africa's 57 million people entered into a Martial law-style lockdown for three weeks starting on Friday, a move by the government that would hopefully flatten the pandemic curve and slowdown infections, so the hospital system does not become overwhelmed by virus patients, reported AFP. 

The country's Department of Health announced two COVID-19 deaths to end the week, with total confirmed cases above 1,000. South Africa has administered 20,000 tests so far, as officials fear the outbreak could be much more extensive than previously thought because of the lack of test kits. 

The lockdown of South Africa is the first time the government has stripped the basic freedoms of its citizens since it became a democracy in 1994.

"The law is that you stay at home. The exception is for survival: food [and] health, with security forces making sure that the law is enforced," government minister, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, said.

The sale of alcohol and cigarettes has been banned for three weeks, along with any outdoor activity such as jogging, walking dogs, and or going to the park. The government warned that offenders would be prosecuted and either fined or jailed. 

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa tested negative for COVID-19 on Thursday. He visited troops at a military base in Soweto township outside Johannesburg before they launched deployments across the country. 

"I send you out to go and defend our people against coronavirus," Ramaphosa said.

"This is unprecedented, not only in our democracy but also in the history of our country, that we will have a lockdown for 21 days to go out and wage war against an invisible enemy coronavirus," he said.

With South Africa now at war, not with a neighboring country but rather a virus that is starting to ravage its population, here is what the battlefield looks like, courtesy of Twitter:

We have warned on several occasions, "It's Time To Stop Pretending That In All Of Africa There's Only 3 Covid-19 Cases" and "'A Ticking Time Bomb': Coronavirus Crisis Looms In Africa." The Martial law-style lockdown by South Africa suggest the virus crisis is much worse than what is being reported. 

Tyler Durden Sat, 03/28/2020 - 07:35
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