Helen Zille criticises Dlamini-Zuma, compares lockdown to 'Nongqawuse and the Great Cattle-Killing'
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Image: DONNA WATSON
The DA's federal chairperson Helen Zille has again criticised Nkosana Dlamini-Zuma for using the government's lockdown regulations for what she says is “control and authority”, exercising power “for power's sake”.
In a rant on Twitter at the weekend, Zille said the Disaster Management Act, under which the lockdown was declared, gave power to the minister of co-operative governance and traditional affairs, instead of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“Minister Dlamini-Zuma can delegate the power to make regulations to ministers like [Ebrahim] Patel, [Bheki] Cele, etc, and together these unaccountable ministers become a lawmaking body, without any oversight from parliament,” said Zille.
1) All the press analysis about the tussle between Min Dlamini Zuma and Pres Ramaphosa has fundamentally missed the point. The Disaster Management Act, under which the lockdown is declared, gives the power to NDZ and not CR. She declares the Disaster and issues regulations.
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) May 17, 2020
2) Min NDZ can delegate the power to make regulations to Ministers like Patel, Cele etc, and together these unaccountable Ministers become a law-making body, without any oversight from Parliament. Our constitution provides that PARLIAMENT makes laws, not Cabinet members.
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) May 17, 2020
Zille described some of the measures as irrational, saying that “unaccountable ministers” were governing many aspects of citizens' lives with the set of 40 new regulations.
“When we can leave our homes and for what purpose, whether we can visit family members, what we may buy and wear — without recourse,” she said.
“There is no rational connection between many of the measures taken and the importance of curbing infections. It is power being exercised for power's sake, and the state of disaster can be renewed repeatedly while our economy disintegrates.”
3) Together this small coterie of unaccountable Ministers have issued 40 sets of new regulations, governing many aspects of our lives. When we can leave our homes and for what purpose, whether we can visit family members, what we may buy and wear -- without recourse.
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) May 17, 2020
4) There is no rational connection between many of the measures taken and the importance of curbing infections. It is power being exercised for power's sake, and the state of Disaster can be renewed repeatedly while our economy disintegrates.
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) May 17, 2020
Zille compared the consequences of lockdown to the Xhosa prophet whose prophecies led to a millenarian movement, which culminated in the Xhosa cattle-killing movement in 1856 in the Eastern Cape.
“The consequences will be worse than the tragedy of Nongqawuse and the Great [Xhosa] Cattle-Killing,” said Zille.
5) The DA does not under-estimate the dangers of Covid 19. It is an illness we must work hard to avoid contracting. But the government must concentrate on the vulnerable (those with diabetes, hypertension and other illnesses) who cannot isolate and care for themselves.
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) May 17, 2020
6) The young and healthy must wear masks, sanitise, and maintain social distance. Business that apply these systems must be allowed to operate to get the economy working again. Otherwise the consequences will be worse than the tragedy of Nongqawuse and the Great Cattle Killing.
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) May 17, 2020
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