Thread 1: There is now a weird sort of millenarianism floating around in certain quarters. Remember what one version of millenarianism says: destroy everything and out of it a new, wonderful reality will magically emerge. Xhosa cattle killing only one example.

2. This magical thinking can now be found in some government and other circles. I heard Angelo Fick punting it on ENCA tonight. Also in some of Ramaphosa’s and NDZ’s statements.

3. The idea is that letting the economy be destroyed by ongoing harsh lockdown measures is not a bad idea because out of the ruins of the old unequal and intractable SA a new, wonderful, more equal society can and will be forged.

4. There is nothing more irresponsible and reckless than this notion. It is destructive, cruel and doomed to fail. Magical thinking. Fantasy. It must at all costs be stopped before it is too late. The more you destroy the less there will be to base any sort of rebuilding on.