South African minister disciplined for ‘lockdown lunch’

JOHANNESBURG: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa put the communications minister on “special leave” for two months, one of which will be unpaid, on Wednesday for breaking the rules of a countrywide lockdown and having lunch with a former official.

Ramaphosa acted after a picture of Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams at the lunch emerged on social media, angering South Africans confined to their homes during the 21-day lockdown that started on March 27 to rein in the coronavirus outbreak.

According to the rules, people are only allowed to leave their homes for essential tasks like buying food or seeking medical help. Police arrested more than 17,000 people during the first few days of the lockdown, many for violating the lockdown.

“The president strongly believes that no one, including the minister, is above the law,” Ramaphosa’s spokeswoman, Khusela Diko, said.“He says none of us should undermine our national effort to save lives in this very serious situation.”