Cape Town – On the first day of Covid-19 home screening in Bishop Lavis, protesting residents have implored the government to provide residents with food, masks and sanitisers during the lockdown.
The tracing, home screening and testing programme also kicked off in Khayelitsha, Bo-Kaap, Bishop Lavis, Mossel Bay and the Cape Winelands in the Western Cape on Monday.
According to Bishop Lavis Action Community spokesperson Amanda Davids, the government has not provided them with adequate information on the ins and out regarding the screening process, the SABC reported.
Davids said they were conforming to the lockdown social distancing rules during their protest.
"We are adhering to the lockdown rules. We asked people to stay in their yards and hold their placards, and use pots, pans and spoons just to get the sound going.
"The lockdown was called but nobody thought about the working class really. Because we cannot just go into lockdown because we don't have food in our homes. We live on a day-to-day basis."
In a Facebook post, Abdul Karriem Matthews took the national and provincial government to task over the impractical manner they are implementing their fooding scheme, slating "another ANC government policy failure as there is not enough charity to feed millions of hungry bodies".
To qualify for a food parcel, you must be unemployed and have a household income of less than R3 600. If you can’t get through because the of high call volumes, you have to email an official on [email protected]
Matthews the email needs to contain your name, ID number, address and contact details. Provinces may call the national call centre on 0800 601011. On delivery of a food parcel, a recipient needs to provide their ID.
"This plan assumes that hungry bodies have an ID, assumes that if you earn more than R3 600 you don't need a food parcel, but insultingly assumes that hungry bodies have access to email and the internet.
"Many do-gooders and liberals are sharing this information in the hope that food will reach the hungry bodies. Mention is also made of R50 million made available for food packages by the Western Cape government.
"The reality is that this is but another ANC government policy failure. There is not enough charity to feed millions of hungry bodies.
"The next two weeks is crucial for the way we combat this virus. There is insufficient testing, which accounts for the artificially low infection rate, and the vector for the virus now includes medical personnel and law enforcement.
"The infection rate will increase with local community transmissions. Anyone who lives in a 5x5 shack, with no running water and no inside toilets, malnourished bodies, the elderly, the sick and impaired are most at risk.
"We demand a mass government funded food distribution programme NOW. Those who have full cupboards and well stocked fridges who say just stay indoors should shut the hell up.
"Your lack of empathy and humanity is revolting."