SA’s Health Dept Accuses South Africans Opposing New Health Regulations of Terrorism

Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla is being called on to issue an immediate public apology to South Africans for his Department’s insults to those who opposed the draft health regulations relating to Covid-19.

‘Anti-progressive’, ‘instigating terrorism’ and ‘sabotage’ is how the Health Department officials called about 300 000 law-abiding SA citizens who exercised their democratic right to provide public comment on the draft.

The department’s comments were recently discovered in emails contained in court papers in the latest court case against the Department of Health.

The DA says Dr Phaahla must also appear before the parliamentary portfolio committee on health to confirm that the process of public participation is taken seriously by his Department, and that every single person’s public participation be given equal weight.

“The draft regulations were draconian in nature and intended to limit the basic human rights of South African citizens by potentially forcing mandatory vaccinations, forced quarantining and the mandatory taking of bodily samples and conducting tests against the will of a person,” Michele Clarke – DA Shadow Minister of Health – said in a statement today.

“Naturally, hundreds and thousands of citizens took time out their day to vehemently oppose any such infringement on their rights. The DA has always opposed these dictatorial regulations and continues to do so alongside all South Africans.

“The comments made by officials in the Department make it clear that they think they are above the ordinary people of South Africa as well as the Constitution, which enshrines the right to public participation. The DA has always called these regulations completely out of touch with reality and these email comments prove exactly that.”