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There were fears that the Matric Rage parties would turn into super-spreader events.

Yet, the Ballito leg went ahead, and that’s exactly what has happened, with pupils who attended now told to quarantine for 10 days in order to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Organisers have maintained that they were COVID-19 compliant at Ballito Rage, and say they acted quickly when they were alerted of potential positive cases.

EWN reports that Rage Festival spokesperson Darren Sandras said the Ballito event normally sells as many as 5 000 tickets but sold just shy of 2 000 this year.

Ticket sales for other legs of the Matric Rage party were first stopped, and then all events were halted ‘until further notice’, but for many, the damage has been done.

One Durban teenager, who spoke with TimesLIVE, said she knew she had COVID-19 when she began to battle to breathe, adding that “most of my friends – at least 30 people – have tested positive, too”.

She added that whilst some of the parties she attended had strict protocols in place, others were more relaxed. One in particular – a Litchi Party which is separate from Rage and its organisers, but is accepted as the event which kicks things off – had little to no protocols in place.

According to IOL, the race is now on to find as many as 1 300 Gauteng pupils who attended the Ballito party:

“Our contact tracing team is working around the clock to trace all the learners who took part in the Rage events. It is important they all go for testing and are monitored until they are cleared by clinicians,” said Gauteng MEC for Health Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi.

“It must be pointed out that family contacts of those that test positive must also go for testing and must go into quarantine.”

One man who is particularly upset is Professor Salim Abdool Karim, Chairperson of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19.

Via IOL, it’s clear he isn’t mincing his words:

Abdool Karim described the week-long Ballito Rage, which ended on Friday, as the most recent super-spreader event in KZN…

“If the organisers are found to have broken the rules, in my view, they should be charged and all of the individuals who have acquired infection and are now quarantined should consider suing them for loss of income.”

He also spoke with CapeTalk’s Refilwe Moloto about how if there are one or two more events of this nature, “we’re toast”.

Just ask the people of Nelson Mandela Bay what happens when you show zero consideration for your fellow citizens.

You can listen to that interview in full below:

[sources:ewn&iol&timeslive&iol&capetalk]