South Africa’s Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has disbanded his Ministerial Advisory Council (MAC) and reconstituted it. One of those who have been dropped, Wits University’s Dr Francois Pienaar questioned the jetting in of what he described as the World Health Organisation’s crowd of experts. He went on to say the ANC government expected them to endorse decisions that were discussed behind closed doors. This clearly shows that the idea of bringing in WHO experts was the ANC government’s.

The science behind Covid-19 is being challenged globally. There is citizen push back especially in western capitals in the form of protests and legal challenges in Germany and Britain. Belgian doctors and health professionals are calling for debate and coverage in the mainstream media of those scientists who hold different views on Covid-19.

The ANC government invoked the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 that provides for: an integrated and co-ordinated disaster management policy that focuses on preventing or reducing the risk of disasters, mitigating the severity of disasters, emergency preparedness, rapid and effective response to disasters and post-disaster recovery;  the establishment of national, provincial and municipal disaster management centres; disaster management volunteers; and  matters incidental thereto.

Because of the “fight against the coronavirus” South Africa and many other African countries were locked down except Tanzania and perhaps Burundi. President Cyril Ramaphosa has requested $100 billion for Africa for fiscal space and liquidity for the continent’s governments amid the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic after his subordinates chowed R500 billion like they were eating popcorn or groundnuts.

The ANC government has renewed the state of national disaster six times since it was declared in March this year.  The state of emergency has limits, it is cumbersome and may be declared only in terms of an Act of parliament and only when:

(a)    the life of the nation is threatened by war, invasion, general insurrection, disorder, natural disaster or other public emergency; and

(b)   the declaration is necessary to restore peace and order. The state may only declare a state of emergency and any legislation enacted or other action taken in consequence of the declaration, may be effective only:

(a) prospectively; and

 (b) for no more than 21 days from the date of declaration, unless the National Assembly resolves to extend the declaration.

The National Assembly may extend a declaration of a state of emergency for no more than three months at a time. The first extension of the state of emergency must be by a resolution adopted with a supporting vote of a majority of the members of the National Assemble. Any subsequent extension must be by a resolution adopted with a supporting vote of at least 60 per cent of the members of the National Assembly. A resolution in terms of this paragraph may be adopted only following a public debate in the National Assembly. (Source:  LexisNexis).

The ANC government’s legal and political advisers counseled them that the declaration of a state of emergency is more cumbersome than the declaration of the state of national disaster.

South Africa is currently at lockdown level 1 until 15 October and should return to normal from 16 October. What is going to happen from 16 October? Is the country going to be taken to pre national state of disaster declaration which the country desperately needs? The country needs to be restored to normalcy because we were told “infections” were down.

Many scientists observe that  every time new technology is introduced, people become sick just like in the 1800’s and 1900’s with what was called the Spanish flu when electricity was introduced. Right now it is 5G technology and ubiquitous Wi-Fi. We must look at the poison emitted by environmental and electromagnetic pollution and debate the real cause of diseases.

By Sam Ditshego

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