Don’t try to use the crisis to steamroller laws, ANC

A worrying aspect of the virus lockdown is that the ANC could use its virtually unfettered emergency powers to push through the radical social engineering it has failed to achieve in a parliamentary democracy.

There seems to be a strong puritanical element within the organisation which seeks to remove health “evils” from society permanently … hence the sweeping powers to restrict the sale of alcohol and cigarettes.

Disaster powers have also been used to fast-track water supplies, while talk of “mobilising” private health sector resources for the national Covid-19 fight is also accelerating the move towards the planned National Health Insurance programme.

In applying financial disaster relief, government has looked to push its transformation agenda, well aware that it has not, in 26 years in power, come near to honouring the promises made to its poor, largely black, electorate.

So, when it came to tourism, it was stipulated that only businesses which complied with black economic empowerment criteria would be helped. This, despite the fact many white-owned businesses pay tax and employ many black people.

It is right that this plan has been put on hold, pending a court challenge. Now, perhaps, the ANC will think twice about using an a emergency to bypass genuine democracy.

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