Minister must recall irrational risk level 3 regulations 

28 May 2020

AfriForum calls on Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Minister of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs, to recall the irrational regulations announced for risk level 3. For example, the Tshwane and Ekurhuleni metros are classified as hotspots, while Tshwane currently has 3,7 and Ekurhuleni 4,5 active COVID-19 cases per 100 000 people. This comes after Dr Zweli Mkhize, Minister of Health, indicated that a metro or district will be classified as a hotspot if there are five active COVID-19 cases per 100 000 people.

“People are tired of being treated like subjects. We are not children; we can make our own calculations. It is unacceptable that one minister announces a guideline, only to be contradicted the next day by another minister,” says Barend Uys, Head of Research and Development at AfriForum. The reasons for using five cases per 100 000 people as guideline was also not explained to the public.

The minister must also recall the regulations according to which game reserves, open air museums, beaches and parks remain closed. It is irrational because it is easy to maintain social distance at such places and good circulation of air is a given. There is no rational reason for the continued closure of museums – the same social distancing and other measures applicable can be followed, as is the case with other places.

In spite of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that exercise will be allowed during any time of the day within specific guidelines, exercise is now only allowed between 06:00 and 18:00, which is again an unnecessary violation of people’s freedom.

“It is worrisome that churches are singled out. The number of people allowed for a whole working day within a working environment is determined by the floor space of the building, while church gatherings, no matter the size of the building, are limited to a maximum of 50 people,” Uys concludes.

Issued by Carina Bester, Media Relations Officer, AfriForum, 28 May 2020