Written by Umamah Bakharia 

Emails have surfaced regarding the proposed health regulatory act changes which reveal how the health department officials view those that are opposed to the changes.

Civil society organisation, Dear SA says groups opposed to government proposed health regulations are called anti-progressive, instigating terrorism, sabotaging and forcing the government to waste resources through emails.

Speaking to Radio Islam, Dear SA’s Rob Hutchinson says the emails were made available after the organisation took the health department to the court regarding the proposed changes.

“They [government officials] were discussing the public participation process and how it’s being undermined and interfered with by civil society groups,” says Hutchinson. And added that organisations such as Dear SA are sabotaging the changes and participating in acts of terrorism.

“[Governement] also went so far as to produce a presentation on the process of public participation which actually showed us that government really considers the comments from the publicwhich just provides our point on why we exist,” says Hutchinson.

However, an extension has been granted for public participation which will now be closing on 5 August 2022. Some of these amendments include:

• all people entering or exiting South Africa during a pandemic should present negative PCR tests not older than 72 hours in the event they do not have a vaccination certificate.
• continued restrictions will be placed on night vigils and after-funeral gatherings.
• Indoor and outdoor gatherings may be occupied up to 50% of the venue capacity, provided valid vaccine certificates are produced. For gatherings where no valid vaccine certificates are required, artificial limits of 1,000 and 2,000 people will apply for indoor and outdoor gatherings, respectively.
• The social distancing of one metre must be maintained.
• Face masks will be compulsory for indoor gatherings, people cannot enter public premises or make use of public transport without a mask.
• The regulations also leave the door open for other restrictions, labelled as ‘advice giving’ between different departments. This advice can relate to curfew, national lockdown, economic activity and the sale of alcohol, among others.

Hutchinson argues that the comments from the government are simply a smear campaign to influence the outcome of the public and be more favourable to the government.

“Public pressure does work,” says Hutchinson.