- In the seventh episode of Politics Unmuted, we discuss the role the government will need to play in dealing with the resurgence of Covid-19 infections.
- Areas in the Western and Eastern Cape have been identified as second wave hotspots.
- The government has subsequently enforced further restriction in these area as a way of slowing down the spread of infections.
In this week's episode of Politics Unmuted, News24's political editor, Qaanitah Hunter, political reporter Lizeka Tandwa and assistant editor for in-depth news Pieter du Toit discuss the government's response to the second wave of Covid-19 cases.
The trio talk at length about the areas in the country that have been identified as hotspots. They then evaluate the performance of provincial health departments in dealing with the second wave of infections.
"What we're seeing in the Eastern Cape is definitely concerning. It is a province that is very close to being broken as far as governance is concerned," Du Toit lamented.
During a national address on Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape had been declared a hotspot and would be placed under a new curfew.
The president said Nelson Mandela Bay would now be subjected to curfews between 22:00 and 04:00, and alcohol sales will be allowed only between Mondays and Thursdays from 10:00 to 18:00.
READ | Why some areas in Nelson Mandela Bay have become Covid-19 hotspots
Ramaphosa added other areas the government was keeping a close eye on were the Garden Route District in the Western Cape and Sarah Baartman District in the Eastern Cape.
The national state of disaster has also been renewed, and will continue until 15 January.
The Politics Unmuted team also delves into the face-off between advocate Dali Mpofu and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan at the state capture commission on Monday.
Mpofu was cross-examining Gordhan on claims he made during his testimony before the commission in November 2018.
Gordhan previously told the commission Tom Moyane was complicit in state capture when he was SARS commissioner.
"I was really disappointed by both men in how they handled themselves at the commission. Dali felt that he needed to make Pravin a hostile witness but the minister fuelled that environment as well," said Tandwa.
Politics Unmuted, where our microphones are never muted and we turn up the volume on all things political.
Catch this episode and others, on Spotify.
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