PODCAST | Covid-19 Chronicles: Move towards a totalitarian state as rules erode our rights

There was widespread praise for President Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement of a hard lockdown in March.

But, as the weeks and months have passed since then, there has been a growing sense of unease. Some law experts and commentators have started to voice their concerns about the enforcement of confusing regulations and a lack of transparency from the government.

Calls are growing for an end to the lockdown, as millions across the country face starvation. Commentators say that, unless there is a rapid rethink of the government's approach to the lockdown, there could be mass unrest. As the country slides into a depression, government communication with South African citizens has become critical.

The president's address to the nation on May 13 did not inspire confidence. It was vague and there were no details of what South Africans were hoping for, with regard to the next steps to ease the lockdown. In this episode of the Covid-19 Chronicles, we look at the worrying signals of a country that could be heading towards becoming a police state. 

If you missed the previous episodes of this brand new podcast series, listen to it on SoundCloud here.