New Covid-19 regulations detached from reality – Solidarity

Trade union Solidarity has condemned the Covid-19 regulations issued by Health Minister Joe Phaahla and Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi to transfer the current state of disaster.

Phaahla released a slew of proposed changes to the current health regulations while Nxesi published a new code of conduct for managing Covid-19 in the workplace.

Government this week extended the state of disaster until 15 April 2022 which has left many experts baffled.

In a statement, Solidarity announced its readiness to participate in the legal process and to litigate if the various ministers should continue with the implementation of the regulations.

Connie Mulder, head of the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI) said, the proposed regulations are completely impractical and clearly not well thought through.

“Almost all of these regulations represent the type of measures that had little or no impact during the lockdown. Clearly no rational motivation exists for this, and one gets the impression that the government is now simply regulating for the sake of regulating.”

Mulder argues that the implementation of the regulations would be a huge step backwards for the country.

“Internationally, the norm is to move away from all forms of lockdown regulations, and to move away completely from pandemic-related measures. It is only in South Africa where the government requires permanent measures to be in place that in effect would establish a permanent state of disaster.”

Mulder said the regulations are impractical.

“These proposed regulations are not only harmful they are absurd, illogical and indicate a government that is completely disconnected from reality.”

Meanwhile, Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen has announced that his party will file urgent court papers, challenging government’s decision to extend the national state of disaster.

Addressing the media on Thursday afternoon, Steenhuisen said there was no scientific justification for the latest extension of the state of disaster.

Steenhuizen said the state of disaster which was implemented in March 2020was pushing South Africans into joblessness and deeper into poverty.

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