BL Premium reports that according to Business Unity SA (Busa), the damage done by the unrest over the past week to businesses and infrastructure is in the region of R10bn-R12bn, while the government’s response so far has been inadequate and a much bigger security effort is required.

This should include a 24-hour curfew in affected hotspots to restore order and allow the security forces to regain control. The business organisation has also urged the government to secure the N3 between Durban and Johannesburg to enable food, fuel and medicines to move again. The route has been partially or fully closed for four days. “This is an emergency unparalleled in our democratic history and requires the state to take immediate action. Without clear and dramatic interventions, contagion will continue. We are concerned state action to date has been inadequate,” Busa said. The organisation, which represents most companies in the formal sector, also wants to see the establishment of a disaster relief fund to assist affected businesses as well as “a complete reassessment” of government spending in the context of the emergence of new priorities. Discussions are under way in Nedlac on the establishment of a disaster relief fund. Busa is also concerned about the amendment to the state of disaster regulations gazetted on Wednesday, which enable political gatherings to be held. This should be reversed and the restriction on gatherings enforced, in the interests of public health to contain Covid-19, it said.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Carol Paton at BusinessLive (paywall access only)
• See too, Busa calls for 24-hour curfew, full deployment of army, police and reserve forces, at Engineering News

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