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IN PICTURES | Live entertainment, events and gym industries protest lockdown laws

05 August 2020 - 20:55
By Nomahlubi Jordaan
The #LightSAred movement lit up iconic parts of the country on Wednesday to raise awareness about the economic impact of the lockdown.
Image: Esa Alexander The #LightSAred movement lit up iconic parts of the country on Wednesday to raise awareness about the economic impact of the lockdown.

On another day of protest against SA's lockdown laws, the live events and entertainment industry on Wednesday evening light up iconic parts of South Africa in red.

This, they said, was to get the attention of arts, culture, sports and recreation minister Nathi Mthethwa.

The spots were lit up from 6pm to 8pm. In Cape Town these included Table Mountain, the Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town City Hall, Cape Town Castle, the Civic Centre, and The Cape Wheel and the Clock Tower at the V&A Waterfront.

Cape Town Stadium is lit up on Wednesday night by the #LightSAred campaign.
Image: ESA ALEXANDER/SUNDAY TIMES Cape Town Stadium is lit up on Wednesday night by the #LightSAred campaign.
The Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town lit up on Wednesday night.
Image: Esa Alexander The Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town lit up on Wednesday night.
The local live events and entertainment lit up iconic parts of South Africa on Wednesday to shine light on the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Image: ESA ALEXANDER/SUNDAY TIMES The local live events and entertainment lit up iconic parts of South Africa on Wednesday to shine light on the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Cape Town City Hall was lit up in red by the local live events and entertainment industry on Wednesday night.
Image: Esa Alexander Cape Town City Hall was lit up in red by the local live events and entertainment industry on Wednesday night.
The Cape Wheel at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town is lit up in red on Wednesday.
Image: ESA ALEXANDER/SUNDAY TIMES The Cape Wheel at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town is lit up in red on Wednesday.

The #LightSAred movement said: “The industry has not been able to operate the for the past five months due to the National Disaster Act not allowing gatherings of more than 50 people and there being no guidelines set or discussed by government for movie cinemas and theatres, who have been given the green light to operate.”

In Johannesburg, the spots lit up were the Northcliff Water Tower, Montecasino and Kyalami.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the Durban City Hall, Moses Mabhida Stadium, the Old Prison wall at the ICC, the Durban Jewish Club and Durban libraries were lit up.

“The #LightSARed movement will light a total of 363 areas around the country,” the movement said.

'Gyms are part of the solution'

Meanwhile, the fitness industry on Wednesday also took part in a silent protest against the continued closure of gyms around the country.

“We are having a peaceful digital and driving demonstration. We are asking the public wear gym clothes and blow their hooters,” Fit SA spokesperson Grant Austin said during an interview with eNCA.

He said the industry was pleading with President Cyril Ramaphosa to allow them to open up to save their jobs.

“We are hoping they [government] will take note of the 29,000 jobs at stake. About 40% gym owners said if they don’t open any time soon, they will not open at all,” said Austin.

“Gyms are part of the solution. One of the indicators of bad outcomes of Covid-19 is obesity. We want us as the country to dig ourselves out of the crisis that we are in using our healthy immunes. Keeping us closed is prejudicing our healthy members in their efforts to fight becoming ill.”

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