Petition launched to disband the Covid Command Council

THE SA Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) has called for the disbanding of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC), claiming that it is undemocratic and an arm of a corrupt state.

The institute also claims that the command council is unscientific and presides over decisions that limit rights irrationally.

These include the ban on sales of alcohol and cigarettes and the current prohibition on midnight travel and funerals above 100 mourners, to permission being granted for political gatherings of up to 2 000 people.

The institute has launched a petition asking the public to join in the call.

Gabriel Crouse, its head of campaigns, during an online session last Friday, said the petition was meant to disband the NCCC, redraw the rules of the Disaster Management Act (DMA) and terminate the National State of Disaster.

The petition has to date gained more than 5 000 signatures.

“The next milestone on our horizon is 10 000, but ultimately we aim to get into six digits as IRR petitions have before so we invite South Africans to add their names and back this drive.”

He said the council and the state of disaster, which were established at the same time on March 15 last year, were “co-evil” and should both be terminated. Covid-19, Crouse said, was not a top priority disaster at this stage and people should not live in fear.

“The NCCC will lose its special powers only at the point when we recognise that when you look outside, when you look at the numbers today, South Africa has many disasters.”

Crouse cited the election date decision of Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, as an example for why there was a need to oppose the Covid-19 rules.

“A couple of months ago she proclaimed the election prematurely, before registration could take place, essentially disenfranchising hundreds of SA voters.

“She said she was doing this for various reasons, saying that she didn't want the election to take place. She believed October and November would be terrible. We wouldn't be able to go out and vote.

“There would be far too much of Covid around. The best scientists in the country said this would be a trough as its proven to be.”

Crouse said if we waited for Covid-19 to come down to zero before disbanding the council and stop the state of disaster, the country would be signing the “death warrant” of SA's constitutional democracy.

“The best evidence suggests that Covid is not going away, the best evidence suggests that Covid is becoming less deadly and becoming endemic meaning that it will remain in circulation indefinitely.”

Dr Anthea Jeffery, the institute’s head of policy research, said the DMA had no safeguards as opposed to emergency rules found in Section 37 of the Constitution.

“What the SA government has primarily relied on in countering Covid has been the Disaster Management Act and we have had the state of disaster extended from one month to the next for many occasions now.

“Most recently the designated minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma extended the state of disaster for another month until November 15, 2021.

“The question is, is the DMA the appropriate vehicle?“

Jeffery said the act was vague and did not need parliamentary approval for far-reaching decisions.

“The minister may then make regulations on specified (and other) various other issues including the movement of people, alcohol sales, recovery measures.

“Normal duration of a state of disaster will be three months or less. It can be extended for a month at a time by the designated minister simply by notice of the Government Gazette. There is no parliamentary approval needed for any extension,” Jeffery said.

She said many organisations such as the Freedom Front Plus also deemed the act to be unconstitutional.