Impulsive regulation unacceptable - Sakeliga

13 July 2020

“It is unacceptable that government regulates impulsively. It is unacceptable that, after months to prepare public policy responses, and with Covid-19 cases increasing as expected, yet at a slower pace than anticipated, President Cyril Ramaphosa returns South Africa to perhaps the most stringent lockdown in the world without a moment’s notice.” 

“The result of lockdown as we have come to know it will be marginal benefits to health, and major destruction to lives and livelihoods, because of the way in which it was done. The same medical benefits could have been achieved – and can be achieved – with economic harm at least an order of magnitude smaller.” 

So says Piet le Roux, CEO of business group Sakeliga, after tonight’s announcements by President Cyril Ramaphosa of an immediate, severe intensification of lockdown measures. 

“Without time to prepare or obtain legal advice, businesses and the public now face jail time and fines for a range of novel criminal offences. Without notice, thousands of businesses – who had just stocked up again – will not be able to open tomorrow or stay closed because opening is not worth it any longer. Without seeing any increase in Covid19 cases in their areas, even the most unaffected towns now face the same increase in restrictions as the most affected regions. Without briefings on matters of constitutional importance, police officers are expected switch immediately from one set of arbitrary regulations to another.” 

Sakeliga’s team of legal and policy analysts is studying the latest regulations to develop guidance on interpretation, legality, implications, and compatibility with recent judgments and running court cases. 

Issued by Piet le Roux, CEO, Sakeliga, 13 July 2020