Health Department accuses South Africans opposing draconian health regulations of terrorism
17 June 2022
Note to Editors: Please find an attached soundbite by Michele Clarke MP.
The DA calls on the Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, to immediately issue a public apology to the people of South Africa for his Department’s insults to those who opposed the draft health regulations. He must also appear before the parliamentary portfolio committee on health to confirm that the process of public participation is taken seriously by his Department and that every single person’s public participation be given equal weight.
This after Health Department officials called some 300 000 law-abiding citizens “anti-progressive”, “instigating terrorism” and “sabotage” when they exercised their democratic right to provide public comment on the latest draft health regulations relating to Covid-19. These comments were recently discovered in emails contained in court papers in the latest court case against the Department of Health.
The draft regulations were draconian in nature and intended to limit the basic human rights of South African citizens by potentially forcing mandatory vaccinations, forced quarantining and the mandatory taking of bodily samples and conducting tests against the will of a person. Naturally, hundreds and thousands of citizens took time out their day to vehemently oppose any such infringement on their rights. The DA has always opposed these dictatorial regulations and continues to do so alongside all South Africans.
The comments made by officials in the Department make it clear that they think they are above the ordinary people of South Africa as well as the Constitution, which enshrines the right to public participation. The DA has always called these regulations completely out of touch with reality and these email comments prove exactly that.
The DA calls for those who made such comments to be dealt with appropriately as people with ideals like this have no place in working for the people.
Issued by Michele Clarke, DA Shadow Minister of Health, 17 June 2022
