Readers’Views

SA has tackled the coronavirus pandemic well — or has it?

SA has done very well in managing the death rate from the coronavirus. Sadly, some people have died.

I have noticed the cry that the lockdown should not have been imposed in the first place. This is misleading. Any political party that keeps preaching this narrative is doing so at its greatest risk.

The management of the virus is a late inclusion in the 2020 election manifesto in the US; in SA, the government has saved many lives.

The South African economy died because of economic policies, not the virus.

Samkelo Fisher, on businessLIVE

We are told how well SA has managed the pandemic in terms of infection and death. In comparison to which country? Some have been doing it worse (for whatever reason), some better (also for various reasons).

Some countries have not imposed lockdowns or, in fact, any major restrictions. One of them is Belarus.

If our strict lockdown has saved us from disaster, then Belarus should be an example of such disaster. Nothing could be further from the truth. Its statistics are significantly better than ours.

Can we be so sure that “SA has done very well”?

Marian Otrebski, on businessLIVE

When will the dictatorial National Coronavirus Command Council be disbanded? It’s beyond time that this brake to economic recovery and facilitator of criminal marketeers be relieved of its power.

John Hepton, on businessLIVE

Many ways to monitor fuel gangs

The article “Fuel gangs fill up for free” (September 13) refers. In all, 102 arrested — and only one convicted. So much for our justice system. Fuel tankers are highly visible, so stop them and verify their legitimacy rather than hiding behind bushes to extort bribes from drivers exceeding the speed limit.

Require fuel-tanker manufacturers to check the credentials of the buyers. Lloyd Macklin, on businessLIVE

Monitor the pipelines with drones and install a GPS in every fuel tanker and monitor them 24/7: cheap electronic solutions to a costly problem.

Pierre Jordaan, on businessLIVE

Bizarre belief in imminent rescue

The government’s continuing belief that private sector “equity partners” will come riding to the rescue of the likes of South African Airways, the SABC, the South African Post Office et al is simply bizarre.

No-one in their right mind would sink money into a capitalist venture with minority control, with a socialist government, particularly one as corrupt, inept and hopelessly incompetent as this one.

Carpe Diem, on businessLIVE