Selfish defiance will cost many lives, warns councillor
Ward councillor warns that the non-compliance of some to the lockdown measures would have dire consequences to all of us.
Concerned ward councillor Deborah Franscisco has raised concern about the seeming non-compliance to the lockdown of some Alex residents. The same has been seen in some north-east suburbs like Yeoville and Hillbrow.
“Despite public knowledge of the scourge and its rapid spreading, many people disregard [compliance to lockdown] in heavily congested Alex where life continues as usual,” said Franscisco.
She attributed the defiance of mitigating measures to a misinformed perception about personal rights to free movement and association. She condemned the perception as ‘selfish and ill-considered’ when the country is in an abnormal situation where such rights should be curbed in the interest of a broader public. She said the defiant also disregarded sanitising and washing their hands, wearing masks and gloves, scoff at advice that they should self-isolate and test when symptoms of the disease emerge.
“Their conduct will have dire consequences to all of us.
“They will not be alive to regret it when first, their relatives and acquaintances also die before the domino effect spreads the diseases to the rest of the community.” This she said also referring to continuous loitering and mingling on the township streets. “There will be no freedoms to aspire for when we all are dead.”
A lesson on balancing individual against collective rights will hopefully be learnt when courts adjudicate on those arrested for disregarding the mitigation measures.
