Thursday, November 21, 2024

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Ramaphosa announces 5-stage plan to ease lockdown

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By: Laura Peterjohn

MAIN IMAGE: Ramaphosa addresses South Africa in a national broadcast on Thursday night, detailing a 5-stage plan aimed to re-start the economy while easing the nation’s lockdown. SOURCE: Siyabulela Duda/GCIS

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has unveiled plans to begin easing the country’s lockdown in a week’s time.

On Thursday night Ramaphosa addressed the nation, revealing a 5-stage plan to move South Africa out of its 35 day lockdown and help re-start the economy.

From 1 May, South Africa will move from level 5 to level 4 which will allow for the relaxation of some restrictions and the gradual re-opening of businesses. The Daily Maverick reports that food retail stores will be able to sell all products normally sold in their stores (there have been severe restrictions on what can be sold under the hard lockdown), mines will begin to reopen, and schools will begin to reopen in phases. 

Businesses will be permitted to open in a gradual manner, reports CNBC Africa. Before allowing workers to return to work, strict sanitation protocols must be observed to prepare the workplace. But workers will not be allowed to resume work in batches of more than one-third. This is in order to maintain strict social distancing guidelines.

The sale of cigarettes will also resume.

Bars, shebeens, conference and convention centres, entertainment venues, cinemas and theatres will stay closed. Concerts, sporting events, and religious, cultural and social gatherings other than funerals will all still be not permitted.

South Africa will also keep its border closed to all international travel, except for repatriation of South African nationals and foreign citizens. Travel between the provinces will remain forbidden except for the transport of goods. 

The Daily Maverick reports that though Ramaphosa aims to begin the re-opening of SA, the virus peak is still expected to be months away and people should expect the lockdown to fluctuate between levels 5 and 3 until September.

‘Reopen America’ protests linked to powerful Republicans

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By Renny Simone

MAIN PHOTO: A face mask on a pile of $100 bills. Some prominent Republicans have been accused of giving material and moral support to ‘Reopen America’ protests. SOURCE: Elliot Alderson from Pixabay

Are the ‘Reopen America’ protests the start of a new conservative movement, a cynical political ploy, or something in between?

America’s unprecedented economic shutdown, meant to slow the spread of coronavirus, has spawned protests in various US cities against social distancing measures. Many of the protesters are fans of President Donald Trump, a Republican, and Democratic governors have drawn much of the ire.

One protest this week, dubbed ‘Operation Queen’s Castle’, was the third directed against Democrat Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Demonstrators gathered on Thursday outside the Governor’s Mansion, demanding that she begin reopening the economy.

Connections to big-name conservatives (and their wealthy foundations) have prompted some outlets, such as the New York Times, to describe the ‘Reopen America’ protests as examples of ‘astroturfing’. A play on the concept of ‘grassroots’, or bottom-up, organising, ‘astroturfed’ movements are defined by The Times as artificial, top-down affairs ‘that are manipulated by Washington conservatives to appear locally driven.’ 

Whitmer supports this hypothesis.

‘This group is funded in large part by the DeVos family,’ Whitmer said of the Michigan protesters, reported The Daily Beast. 

Betsy DeVos, an influential Republican and native Michigander, is currently serving as Trump’s Secretary of Education. DeVos has been linked to the Michigan protests by way of the Michigan Freedom Fund, a group that helped organize the protests and which has received over $500,000 from DeVos’ family, according to Al Jazeera.

DeVos is not the only prominent Republican implicated in the protests. Stephen Moore, an economic adviser to President Trump, talked about his role in planning ‘Reopen’ protests in Wisconsin on a conservative YouTube show. In addition to a controversial remark comparing the protesters to American civil rights icon Rosa Parks, Moore divulged details of the political power behind the demonstrations.

‘We have one big donor in Wisconsin, I’m not gonna mention his name, and … he said Steve, I promise I will pay the bail and legal fees for anyone who gets arrested,’ Moore said.

The YouTube program on which Trump adviser Stephen Moore appeared. The quoted comments begin at 15:20.

The astroturfing theory leads some experts to conclude that the protests do not reflect a genuine movement. Harvard sociologist Theda Skocpol, who has written books on the Tea Party movement and the anti-Trump resistance movement, says that the “Reopen America” protests are not in the same league as these heavyweights.

“I suspect we’ve got a similar combination of top-down influence from high-dollar organizations and some genuine energy at the grassroots level,” Skocpol told Vox’s Sean Illing. “But I also suspect this is mostly being pushed and promoted from above.”

Skocpol’s theory may help explain why these protests have gotten so much attention, despite the fact that only 10 percent of Americans want to end social distancing to stimulate the economy, according to a POLITICO/Morning Consult poll. In the absence of widespread support, powerful voices – from Fox News personalities to President Trump himself – have helped to raise the profile of the ‘movement.’ But Skocpol says these tactics have their limits.

A tweet from President Donald Trump apparently supporting protesters’ demands that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reopen her state’s economy. Trump also called for the ‘liberation’ of Minnesota and Virginia.

‘I don’t think it’s going to morph it into anything on the scale of … the Tea Party back in 2010. I just don’t see the conditions for that,’ Skocpol said.

‘But I expect it to bubble on, because I think Donald Trump will continue to encourage his hardcore supporters to show their support for him publicly until such time as he can hold big rallies again.’

US students sue colleges for loss of on-campus experience

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By Ainsley Ash

MAIN PHOTO: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, schools have sent students home to complete their semester online. Many students say this is not what they signed up for and want back some of their money. SOURCE: Edward Jenner on Pexels

Students in the US are suing universities that have closed their doors and moved classes online due to the coronavirus.

The online experience, they argue, is not what they paid for, and they want their money back. 

Students at Drexel University and the University of Miami have filed a class action lawsuit. They say that they should be reimbursed for the fees they have paid which are normally used to fund services such as computer labs, libraries, and social networking events, all of which the students can no longer receive.

A law firm based in South Carolina, the Anastopoulo Law Firm, is representing the Drexel students as well as students in a similar case against the University of Colorado. It is investigating “dozens” of other potential cases, a lawyer from the law firm told Inside Higher Ed. The firm has created a website, collegerefund2020.com where students can lodge their cases. 

At the University of Chicago, a private research university, students have organized a petition to ask for a drop in tuition fees for the final quarter of the 2019-2020 school year. Their campaign, called  “UChicago for Fair Tuition” has drawn over 1,700 student signatures. According to a survey conducted by the U.S. News and World Report, the university is the second most expensive U.S. college with $59,298 in tuition and fees. 

“The world-class education that consists in having opportunities to work and interact with academics and peers (not to mention the vast numbers of innovators, creators, doctors, organizers, and more that congregate on our campus) will no longer be provided,” the petition to the administration states. 

The campaign statement added that “families that rely on small business, service-industry and other precarious work will be hit far harder than a school with a multibillion-dollar endowment”.

The campaign is not supported by all at the campuses. Zarek Drozda, a UChicago employee and recent graduate wrote an article for The Chicago Maroon, the university’s student newspaper urging campaigners to consider the “unintended impacts of such a reduction.” 

“Such a significant loss in tuition payments will likely mean less money for the most financially at-risk employees: dining hall, cleaning, and other service staff. It will mean less money to support research and grants, including vital research on COVID-19”, Drozda wrote in the student publication.

Colleges and universities are taking substantial financial hits because of Covid-19. 

Even if campuses reopen in the fall, the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, both large public universities research universities, expect to lose $100 million, according to the Associated Press.  

Colleges and universities across the U.S. are set to receive approximately $14 billion dollars in grants from the federal stimulus package passed last month. Of this, $6 billion is to be used as emergency cash grants for students affected by the economic fallout of the pandemic. 

Colleges fear the lasting financial impact of the coronavirus. Colleges worry that students will not return to school in the fall, as they may be unable to afford tuition. For international students, the cost of studying abroad may not be feasible. And with many athletic seasons cut short, revenue from sporting events is expected to fall. 

https://twitter.com/scanmanauthor/status/1252239563033993218?s=20

South Africa tightens travel restrictions – but the Easter bunny gets a pass

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By Ayinde Summey

MAIN IMAGE: Vehicles at a roadblock in Johannesburg on Wednesday. The Minister of Transport has warned that strict enforcement of lockdown rules will be applied over the Easter weekend. Source: Twitter @SouthernStaying

While South African children may be stuck at home this Easter, there is one bit of good news: the Easter Bunny has been given permission to travel across the country to deliver his load of chocolate eggs.

An official letter signed by the Deputy Minister of Tourism Mamaloko Kubaye-Ngubane has authorized the bunny to travel to all parts of the country to perform an essential service to children “which includes but not exclusive to chocolate egg deliveries”.

Among other places where the bunny will roam freely on Sunday is New Zealand, where he has been declared an Essential Worker, and the island of Sark, where an emergency work permit has been issued for the purposes of “essential island travel, inter-burrow visits and home delivery of standard seasonal confectionery”.

For other citizens, however, there will be no special passes for Easter travel. Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula has warned of severe consequences for anyone found breaking the lockdown rules. Many people have been caught flouting the orders across the country. “This conduct demonstrates a worrying trend which must be roundly condemned by both government and civil society. Those who undermine efforts to arrest the spread of this pandemic must face the full might of the law and equally face condemnation by society, as their behavior places the lives of millions at risk.” He said in a press release issued by the department.

In a tweet, the minister said law enforcement would be intensified. 

“… Authorities will not hesitate to ensure that the full might of the law is brought to bear on those who continue to break it.” 

Unlawful road use has worsened since the implementation of the order which been happening across the country. Briefly reports that as of Wednesday, 30,000 vehicles had been stopped countrywide, 196 of them stopped as their drivers were trying to cross provincial lines.

“E-hailing providers that failed to adhere to passenger limits for a vehicle licensed to carry four passengers increased from 42 on Monday and peaked at 509 on Wednesday,” said Mbalula.

Coronavirus crisis ‘may push half a billion into poverty’

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By Renny Simone

MAIN PHOTO: Children wash their hands in Sudan. Washing hands, along with maintaining social distance, is one of the best ways to minimize transmission of coronavirus (Oxfam)

Half a billion people could be pushed into poverty as a result of the developing economic crisis precipitated by the coronavirus pandemic, Oxfam said in a briefing released on Thursday.

But the ‘Economic Rescue Plan for All’ that the influential nonprofit has proposed requires significant international cooperation.

The Oxfam report calls for a massive influx of spending from richer countries to poorer, coordinated by organizations like the Group of 20 (G20) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Oxfam estimated that at least $2.5 trillion would be required to avert the most catastrophic effects of the downturn, most of which would need to be distributed in the form of cash payments to individuals. Some regional organisations, including the African Union (AU), are already requesting aid.

“[Coronavirus] is an international challenge which requires an international response,” Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairperson of the African Union Commission, told France 24. The AU is asking for $100-150 billion in short-term relief. Mahamat said he hoped that the coronavirus would serve as “a hymn, an anthem for multilateralism and solidarity”.

The record of prominent international organizations, however, has caused some to doubt the global community’s ability to cooperate effectively in the face of this crisis.

Stewart Patrick, a UN observer from the Council on Foreign Relations, has criticized the United Nations Security Council’s inaction in response to coronavirus. The Council was due to meet in the course of the day to discuss the impact of the pandemic for the first time since the crisis began.

“What is all this good for if, when push comes to shove, the countries of the world don’t actually do anything?” Patrick asked in a Politico article.

The headquarters of the United Nations in New York City (Anfaenger from Pixabay)

The European Union, which is currently deliberating over a 546 billion euro response package for member nations, is also showing signs of strain. Talks fell through on Wednesday night, according to the BBC, and a deal has not yet been struck. For some, including Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, the crisis threatens not only European economies, but also the future of the EU itself.

“If we do not seize the opportunity to put new life into the European project, the risk of failure is real,” Conte told the BBC.

Italy is among the countries hardest hit by the virus.

The headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium (Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay)

Eyes are now turning to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which is due to begin holding its annual spring meetings on 17 April. The meetings, which will include the IMF, the World Bank Group, and G20, will be held virtually for the first time in the IMF’s history.

Kristalina Georgieva, head of the IMF, offered a grim assessment of the situation in a speech on Thursday, in advance of the meetings. The economic impact of the virus, she said, will be catastrophic.

“In fact, we anticipate the worst economic fallout since the Great Depression,” she said, as reported by The Guardian.

The Guardian reported that nearly 90 low- and middle-income countries have asked the IMF for financial assistance since the start of the pandemic. Georgieva agrees that “low-income nations” deserve special attention. However, the IMF’s specific plans to help the world’s poor, and whether they are able to successfully coordinate a cooperative relief effort, will likely remain unclear until next week’s meetings.

Photo of the Day: October 2, 2018

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After winning the chilli eating contest at the Atrium Mall in Durban, Francine Barchett (at centre) was excited to receive her own chilli hamper! To secure her win, the undergraduate had to down three jalapeño peppers and an array of chicken, prawns, and corn fritters doused in hot sauce quicker than her three other competitors. Photo: Roshan Singh

10-year hunt adds to the global fossil record

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Image: The skull of a gorgonopsian, a distant mammal relative and top predator during its pre-dinosaur era about 255 million years ago. This fossil was collected in 2009 in Zambia.  Credit: Christian Sidor/University of Washington

By: Madeline Harvey

Southern Africa was one great big Triassic park.

A 10-year project involving 27 scientists, 2,200 fossils and multiple expeditions to southern Africa has produced a treasure trove of information about the life of dinosaurs in the Triassic period.

Read more about their findings at Select.timeslive.co.za.

Triassic treasure hunt yields African dinosaur bonanza

 

Ela Gandhi continues her grandfather’s legacy

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MAIN IMAGE: Portrait of Ela Gandhi taken by SIT student Serena Hawkey.

“He read the Quran, the Bible, all the scriptures so he could learn. These scriptures made him realize that there is something more to life. It’s about being more responsible, about the fact that everyone deserves to enjoy social justice,” Ela Gandhi reflects.

The man she refers to is her grandfather, Mahatma Gandhi, one of the most well-known historical figures around the globe. Known for his peaceful approach to conflict resolution, he showed mankind a new and nonviolent approach to political movements.

He was also an inspiration for his family, many of whom who have followed in his footsteps. Ela Gandhi has taken on political activism in her own life, previously serving as an ANC member of Parliament in the first democratic government and currently serving as a chairperson of the Gandhi Development Trust.

Speaking to a group of SIT students this week she said,“Contrary to what a lot of people believe —that he didn’t have a close relationship with his family — he was a very warm family member. He wrote letters to me up until the day he was assassinated — a seven-year-old. He felt it was important.”

Though Gandhi is widely known for his leadership in the fight for Indian independence from the British, he also had an influential impact in South Africa. He lived in the country for 21 years and had some of his first encounters with racism in Durban.

In 1893, Gandhi arrived in Durban to work as legal counsel for an Indian business firm. On a train ride from Durban to Pretoria, he was asked to move to a third-class car as Indian people were not allowed in first-class carriages. Gandhi had purchased a first-class ticket and refused. At the Pietermaritzburg station he was forcibly removed from the train.

Later on, while Gandhi was visiting a courthouse in Durban, he was asked by the local magistrate to remove his turban. Gandhi refused and walked out of the courtroom.

These events, along with growing legislative discrimination against non-white communities in the country, fuelled Gandhi’s involvement in South African social liberation movements. It also motivated the entire Gandhi family to speak for marginalised people.

Ela Gandhi, who is a social worker by training, was banned and subjected to house arrest for nine years by the Apartheid government. She remains passionate about the fight against inequality and non-violence.

Read more about Ela Gandhi and her work here Ela Gandhi Bio

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