Level 3 regulations are irrational and lack scientific basis

28 May 2020

The release of government’s Level 3 regulations today by Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma confirms our view that our government is no longer focused on fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, their focus has shifted to undermining the hard-fought freedoms of all South Africans.

These regulations once again are illogical, irrational and lack any scientific basis. South Africans have long lost their confidence in our government’s ability to manage the lockdown in a manner that had originally attracted the full support of all political parties and South Africans:

The DA has particular concerns about the following regulations that were announced:

Whilst we have no objection to the re-opening of churches for the reasons advanced by government, they have failed to explain why other businesses and institutions (like restaurants) cannot operate with the same levels of safety;

We do not believe that the continued ban on the sale of cigarettes is justifiable after the reasons offered by Minister Dlamini-Zuma in her court papers. Cigarettes should be sold which will bring an end to the booming illicit trade which is costing us billions of rands and harming millions of consumers;

Although Government has removed the curfew from the Level 4 regulations, they continue to restrict the times at which people may exercise, from 6am to 6pm. There is simply no rational argument why anyone cannot exercise at any time, and how doing so, will contribute to the spread of the virus;

It also makes no sense whatsoever, why a single parent must endure lengthy court applications and apply for a permit to transport their child, when ordinary South Africans are allowed to visit a liquor store from 9am to 5pm, from Monday to Thursday. This provision is a huge and costly inconvenience for single parents and it is our view that this should be removed entirely from the regulations;

The continued restriction on hair salons and personal care services is disappointing and will have a massive impact on the thousands of small businesses in this sector, many of whom are being forced to operate illegally “underground” or have already closed their small businesses permanently. There is no justifiable reason why government finds it acceptable to allow dozens of commuters to travel on planes and taxis, yet a salon cannot operate with five persons with the same levels of safety and sanitation protocols;

The sale of liquor for only four days in the week will not contribute in any way whatsoever towards the mitigation of the spread of the virus. In fact, it is likely to have the opposite effect as this provision will promote massive queues at liquor stores on Thursdays.

The DA rejects the heavy-handed authoritarian manner in which government is handling the lockdown regulations and we will continue to use every means necessary, including the courts, to fight for our hard-won freedoms that remain secured in our Constitution.

Issued by Haniff Hoosen, DA Shadow Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, 28 May 2020