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Jan Smuts and the Corona Virus

A Look at the Situation through History’s Lens

A short while ago Dave Kaplan, Editor of the international and much anger amongst the population.
publication “Lay of the Land”, posed to me what I thought to be
an interesting question; How would Jan Smuts have dealt with It is at this point I believe that Jan Smuts’ path would have taken
the Corona Virus, particularly as pertaining to South Africa and a significantly divergent course to that adopted by the South
what measures the Government have been applied here. African Government, and in a number of ways.
Jan Smuts was an accomplished communicator, and believed in
Of course, with Smuts not with us for the past nearly 70 years, the value of accurate, comprehensive and regular communica-
any observations must of course be postulations, but there is I tions. He was a prodigious correspondent and a highly accom-
believe sufficient evidence to create at least credible scenarios. plished writer, in long hand, of his own speeches. It would be
The Corona Virus (Covid-19) made its presence known with inconceivable that at a time of such perceived threat and uncer-
people dying in droves in Wuhan, China, subsequently the tainty, he would not regularly appear on all media platforms,
deaths in Italy of even more, followed in very quick succession placating and reassuring the population, certainly he would not
by Spain and the UK before the USA and specifically New York have been silent for weeks at a stretch.
City endured more positive cases and deaths than any other
country on earth. It would be impossible to believe that a Smuts Government
would not have consulted every credible source of expertise
The South African Government reacted relatively swiftly and covering such essential aspects as the economy, medical (in par-
applied lock-down measures, with, as we know, effective house ticular epidemiologists both locally and abroad), commerce and
arrest and movement restricted to medical reasons and the pur- business and modelled the regulations imposed according to
chase of essential items. Socialising of any nature in person was guidelines that would have gleaned from such consultations. A
forbidden. Initially there was understanding and consequential balance between all critical elements would have been achieved
compliance from the vast majority of the sub-urban population, as far as possible.
but in the informal settlement’s life continued much as usual. It
is important to note that the initial lock-down included prohibi-
tions on the sale or purchase of inter alia cars, clothing, hard-
ware, children’s toys, stationery including puzzles and of course
the two “sin” items, alcohol and tobacco products.

It is reasonable to believe the Jan Smuts would have reacted in
much the same manner initially, he would have been attempting
by best means possible to combat what was for the world at the
time a complete unknown. It is possible of course that China
knew more than most for that is where Covid-19 originated,
but if they did, they weren’t saying. It is also fair to believe that
Smuts would have permitted a larger component of the South
African economy to remain active than was the case, under
conditions to minimise the transmission of the disease.

After nearly 5 weeks of what was advised to be “Stage-5” lock-
down, President Ramaphosa advised that their efforts had been
successful in slowing down the spread of Covid-19 and that
there was to be a move to “Stage-4” on 1 May, and while the
sale of alcohol remained illegal, tobacco products could again
be purchased. Much joy and relief followed this announcement,
not least of all the 11 million South Africans who smoke. Those
who were missing a drink resorted either to the very active,
and exorbitant, black-market, or started brewing their own
mampoer (moonshine) derivates usually using pineapple as a
base. Within days of Pres Ramaphosa announcing a relaxation
of the sale of tobacco products, it was announced by Nkosana
Dhlamini-Zuma, Minister of Cooperative Governance and
Traditional Affairs, that the matter had been re-assessed and the
tobacco would remain embargoed, resulting in astonishment

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