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This paper examined the brutal tactics used by security forces in the early days of the COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa. Key questions raised relate to the philosophical (dis)connectedness of their actions. The paper posits that the way in which some police and soldiers conducted themselves in black communities is reminiscent of colonial-apartheid hermeneutics. Their conduct, devoid of Ubuntu, relegates the culprits to "mere symbols with no substance," in a deeply conditioned state of mental subjugation. Though black, the culprits remain largely unAfrikan in thought. The paper concludes that training for security forces needs to inculcate philosophies of Afrikanism. Furthermore, the paper highlights key lessons to be embraced. Recommendations made include the professionalisation of the security forces, enabling public dialogue, and bringing the culprits to book faster to restore the image of the country, the government, and the security agencies. This paper used a qualitative desktop design that applied inductive analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa's declaration of a state of pandemic on 27 March 2020 to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has elicited debates on the impact of government's policy responses, such as national lockdowns, on the economy of the country. Some pundits support lockdown measures by arguing that they save many lives. Others acknowledge the efficacy of lockdowns in combating the spread of COVID-19 but argue that they have a devastating impact on the economy and livelihoods. However, both pro- and anti-lockdown commentators neglect African indigenous approaches in combatting the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19. The current paper offers a consolidated approach on how African indigenous approaches might be practically and pragmatically integrated with South Africa's COVID-19 policy responses. Drawing on Afrocentric theory, this paper argues that a combination of Western and African indigenous approaches can be more successful in combating the spread of COVID-19 if they are incorporated into a synthesis that adopts useful elements of each. This paper argues that by insisting on national lockdowns, social distancing, self-isolation, and the use of facemasks and vaccines as the only means of combating COVID-19, the South African government is discrediting the use of indigenous African knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]