I’m sure you have noticed that many countries are returning to various levels of lock down … even hard lock down due to a second wave of COVID-19 infections. Our own Health Minister has warned about this in the face of so many people thinking they are untouchable, even going about without face masks in public places. The Sowetan reports that a Sandton nightclub was shut down and employees of a Midrand adult entertainment venue fined early on Saturday morning for violating lockdown laws.
The SAPS, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, Gauteng traffic police and various other law enforcement agencies found more than 300 patrons at Blackdoor Lifestyle Lounge in Sandton after the midnight curfew. Footage taken during the bust shows the nightclub filled to capacity, with not many wearing masks. A JMPD spokesperson told TimesLIVE that the law enforcement agencies were cracking down on entertainment establishments operating after the midnight curfew when police found no social distancing at the nightclub. “We found that Blackdoor was operating after midnight. Alcohol was confiscated. We didn’t arrest anyone because the owner was not on the premises,” he said. He said the owner would face a fine.” In another incident … “We found that while XO [the old teasers] was not operating, there were still employees on the premises. Under the current lockdown regulations, no-one is allowed to be out beyond midnight without a permit,” Fihla said. The employees were taken to the police station where they had to pay a R1,000 fine each to be released.
The southafrican.com reports:
A man was removed from a flight on domestic airline FlySafair on Saturday 24 October after he failed to wear a mask and adhere to the safety protocols that have been mandated for air travel. He was told to leave the plane before it departed from Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport to Durban’s King Shaka International Airport. Flight FA288 was delayed on the runway due to the unpleasant incident, and the man was ultimately removed from the plane by responding members of the South African Police Service (SAPS). FlySafair Chief Marketing Officer Kirby Gordon said the airline will not compromise on COVID-19 regulations and put the lives of other passengers at risk. He told SABC News that airlines risk losing their operating licenses should they not comply with the strict measures that have been put in place to ensure that COVID-19 is not spread on flights. “After addressing a passenger he decided he still no longer wanted to wear his mask. So unfortunately we had to offload the passenger from the aircraft. SAPS were contacted and he was escorted off by SAPS,” he said. It’s absolutely imperative, if we don’t follow the regulations we stand the risk of losing our operating license. And at this stage wearing a mask in public and on an aircraft is as much a law as anything else so we have to treat it the same way as if an individual were to sit down and light a cigarette or refuse to wear their seatbelt,” says Gordon.
I suppose we could ask: “Why are we such stubborn, hard hearted people?” In a few days, South Africa completes a full seven months of various stages of lock down. The newspapers, radio news and TV news have been saturated with information and warnings about Covid and how to protect yourself to protect others, but in so many cases this has fallen on deaf ears. Today, two close friends of ours, together with another three families in their larger family, are Covid positive. The one friend’s mom died of Covid (and other health problems). Another close friend’s wife passed on through Covid. Jen’s one cousin and one of mine died of Covid. Recently at a funeral, a gentleman told me how he and his wife had Covid. My doctor was the first to wash Covid under the table in February … he soon changed his mind and opinion about Covid once he contracted it.
These stories are mine … and most other people have their stories, yet some still don’t believe Covid-19 (a strain of the Coronavirus) is real! I repeat my question: “Why are we such stubborn, hard hearted people?” You might not like the way I answer that question … I believe we are stubborn and hard hearted because of our sinful disposition. It’s all about me, my pleasure, doing as I please without caring for others which includes not caring for those I live in the house with! You see, the root is found in Proverbs:
Pr 10:23 A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.
The apostle Paul writes to his apprentice, saying:
2Ti 3:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
We live in the last days … (Hebrews 1:2) … what Paul writes is here! Just think through 2 Timothy 3:2-4. That is willful, blatant sin. That is the fool’s (lost sinner’s) idea of pleasure. That is the reason for hearts that are hard and stubborn. Live for the moment, even if it endangers those around me. Life is all about me. How we need to pray for God to send His Spirit to quicken us as a people, making us sensitive to Him and His Word so that we will treat everyone with sensitivity, respect and care!
Dear God, our Glorious Heavenly Father, as You gaze upon this planet and see our rebellion against You and our insensitivity towards each other, You must be very angry and disappointed. Help me to be truthful and live in Christ, dressing myself with the garments of righteousness to please You and to care for those around me. Amen.