IRR: “Court victory shows government is unworthy of the power it has grabbed from citizens”

The Institute of Race Relations (IRR) welcomes the judgment delivered by the Gauteng Division of the High Court declaring the current lockdown regulations unconstitutional.

In a statement, the IRR said this confirms the constitutional and legal analysis the organisation published more than a month ago, concluding that the lockdown regulations failed to pass constitutional muster.

It added that it is proud to have been, and proud to continue to be, a leading voice in making the case for the freedom of South Africans.

ALSO READ: Pension grabs for state expenditure just another form of state capture, says IRR

The statement continued that the reasoning of the Gauteng Division of the High Court that the government acted irrationally in the initial conception of the lockdown regulations illuminates powerfully the fact that the ANC has lost sight of the foundations of a liberal constitutional democracy.

“Instead of matching its actions with the hard-won freedoms of the people, the governing party advanced its own political and ideological objectives at the expense of vital constitutional considerations of liberty.

“Sadly, this behaviour is what South Africans have come to expect from the ANC – continuing a despicable tradition in South Africa of governments trampling on the rights of people. This attitude has seen the economy, and the liberty and prosperity of South Africans deteriorate and stagnate following the initial progress made after 1994. The ANC has indisputably betrayed the values and principles that once made it a voice of freedom for ordinary South Africans. It is that no longer.”

IRR Deputy Head of Policy Research, Hermann Pretorius said: “The government has shown itself unworthy of the power it has grabbed, and which it will continue to, unless stopped by the coalition of citizens and civil society that has found its voice in this time of crisis.

“The IRR has proudly been a leader in this coalition for almost a century, oftentimes fighting the battle of ideas against the power of government on its own. It is a sign of the hunger for freedom in this country that the IRR is now no longer fighting alone.

“To South Africans who are afraid and unsure of the future, we say: join us. It doesn’t have to be this way. Your freedom is worth fighting for. This small but significant victory is a sign of what can be achieved if ordinary people join us in the battle of ideas,” said Pretorius.

Dear reader,

As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19.

Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za).