Security Focus Africa April 2020

Page 32

LAW & SECURITY

Going into level 4 At the time of writing this article South Africa has been under lockdown for 33 days since the mandatory lockdown commencing from midnight on 23 March 2020 was imposed in terms of an executive order. By Peter Bagshawe

D

uring the initial period of lockdown, only laboratories, pharmacies, banks, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, supermarkets, food suppliers, petrol stations and heath care facilities were permitted to trade, while residents were and still are only permitted to leave their homes to collect medicines from pharmacies, seek medical care, buy food or collect social grants. During the lockdown period, the sale of alcohol and cigarettes were prohibited, and the prohibition on the sale and transport of alcohol is still being strictly enforced. The enforcement of lockdown provisions has been the joint responsibility of the South African Police Services together with 2 800 members of the South African Defence 30

Force deployed nationally. On 23 April 2020, the deployment of up to an additional 73,180 members of the South African Defence Force was authorised. On 23 April, President Ramaphosa announced that South Africa would move to a 5 Level Alert grading system, with the restrictions referred to above encompassing the Level 5 restrictions. This risk-adjusted strategy is geared off scientific matrices designed to avoid an increase in infection levels following a sudden end to restrictions. Before looking at implications of the move to Level 4 it is probably as well to review the Covid-19 position internationally as a measure of the success to date of lockdown in South Africa. As a note, the mortality rates below are given at 2 decimal points, which will reflect minor

SECURITY FOCUS AFRICA APRIL 2020

differences due to rounding factors. Globally there have been 3 543 904 recorded Covid-19 infections which have led to 247 117 deaths, which is a mortality rate of 6.97 per cent. Of the 3 543 904 infected, 1 148 227 (or 32.4 per cent) have recovered and been discharged from treatment. Previous reference has been made to countries with high infection rates and these will be detailed. Italy (which is currently reducing restrictions) recorded 210 717 infections with 28 884 deaths (a 13.7 per cent mortality rate) with Spain (also coming out of lockdown currently) recorded 247 112 infections, with 25 264 deaths (a 10.22 per cent mortality rate). The United Kingdom (which still has restrictions in place) has seen a marked upswing in

deaths, with 186 559 recorded infections and 28 446 deaths (a 15.24 per cent mortality rate) and are second to Italy from a continental European perspective. The United States of America (where restrictions in place are on a state-bystate basis, and are similarly being lifted on a state-by-state basis) has the highest number of infections recorded of any country at 1 174 202 confirmed infections and 68 088 deaths, giving a 5.79 per cent mortality rate. The American epicentre is New York with 312 997 cases recorded (including 168 845 in New York City) and 18 909 recorded deaths giving a 6.04 per cent mortality rate. South Africa currently has 6 336 recorded infections, with 123 deaths giving a mortality rate of 1.94 per cent. This is substantially lower than

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Security Focus Africa April 2020 by Contact Publications - Issuu