Greatest danger to life and livelihoods today is Government’s response to Covid-19

28 December 2020

The latest lockdown regulations are irresponsible and unacceptable, when considering the balance of risks to life and livelihoods in South Africa. It focusses all the country’s depleted resources into dubious measures combatting one relatively small contributor to death rates in South Africa, Covid-19, at the expense of all other causes of death and risk. So says Piet le Roux, CEO of business group Sakeliga.

“When normal patterns of behaviour are disrupted by governments on a grand scale, when central planning prevents people from adjusting their habits on a balance of considerations particular to their circumstances, then uncontrolable forces of social instability gather steam and eventually erupt. Combine this general tendency with the dire economic, fiscal and political straits South Africa is in, and the risk of death due to political, economic and fiscal disruption becomes multiple times the risk of Covid-19. The greatest danger in the country today, is Government’s response to the Covid-19 disease.”

Sakeliga will be studying the official regulations as soon as they are published and endeavour to assist members and the public with navigating them. As always, Sakeliga will also consider legal counsel on the constitutionality, legality and interpretation of the regulations.

Statement issued by Piet le Roux, CEO: Sakeliga, 28 December 2020