SA government accused of plotting ‘new lockdowns by stealth’

A leading business forum in South Africa has lashed out at the government’s approach to ending the State of Disaster. Sakeliga – and its Strategic Analysis Unit – are going public with their concerns, as they fear that the powers usually reserved for emergency responses will soon be entrenched into law.

Government blasting for ‘not letting go’ of State of Disaster

That’s not something Sakeliga – nor millions of other South Africans – would take lightly. The ANC says it plans to lift the State of Disaster next month. But, before they can do that, other legislation will be brought in ‘to help manage the threat of COVID-19’. For the business brains of Mzansi, this is beyond the pale.

In a fiercely-worded statement, Sakeliga accused the government of wanting to ‘institutionalise’ the extraordinary powers granted to ministers at the height of the pandemic, turning temporary laws into permanent ones. The group say they will oppose any further ‘new lockdowns by stealth’, if State of Disaster regulations become normalised.

“The South African government is working towards permanently entrenching powers that were tolerated only temporarily under the National State of Disaster. Instead of restoring normality, government is perpetuating the State of Disaster by stealth – when there is clearly no underlying disaster and no crisis with hospital capacity.”

“Sakeliga will oppose attempts to institutionalise and concretise such drastic measures and sweeping powers in legislation or ordinary regulations, such as lockdowns, travel restrictions, vaccine and mask mandates.”

“To indicate, as the government is, that the State of Disaster can be ended only when such authority has been concretised in other legislation, thus ignores the point entirely and is unacceptable.”

Sakeliga statement

New lockdowns ‘by stealth’? Sakeliga won’t stand for it…

Furthermore, Sakeliga are worried that any possible retention of lockdown powers would create an enormous amount of economic uncertainty within on our borders, making South Africa an unattractive destination for investors.

For them, any possible government attempts to normalise lockdowns or restrictions as a future public health measure would be ‘unacceptable’ – and they’re not afraid to vocalise this point:

Sakeliga believes that instead of restoring normality, the government is endeavouring to permanently entrench State of Disaster powers to force lockdowns, travel restrictions, vaccine compulsion, mask compulsion, and other invasive ‘public health’ measures.

This is unacceptable.

— Sakeliga (@Sakeliga) February 16, 2022