Freedom Day without freedom could drive the true meaning of the concept home
27 April 2020
It is ironic that we are celebrating Freedom Day today when we do not really have much freedom. It can, however, help to drive the true meaning of the concept home for the people of South Africa and make them realise just how significant freedom really is.
The government's broader policy, including Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), Affirmative Action (AA) and expropriation without compensation, is depriving many people in the country of their freedom.
It is extremely disappointing that the ANC government is still using BEE in the allocation of financial aid packages and the economic stimulus package amid an international crisis that does not differentiate based on skin colour.
With regard to the current circumstances around the Covid-19 lockdown regulations, the FF Plus is appealing to the government to unlock the economy at a faster pace so that the public can get back to work and start earning an income again, subject to the implementation of stringent health and safety measures.
The government's own chief health advisor, Professor Salim Karim, said that we have already reaped the benefits of the lockdown. The FF Plus realises that action should not be taken too quickly nor should the lockdown regulations be lifted too abruptly, but we should also guard against being too careful.
On the positive side, there is some benefit to the global lockdown process and that is that Mother Nature is getting a much-needed chance to recover from humankind's adverse effects on it.
It is, thus, a golden opportunity to reflect on how important the natural environment is to humankind and the government should allow all nature conservation sectors to start operating again as part of the country's essential services.
There will come a time when South Africa is once again free from the restrictions that the coronavirus has placed on our freedom. The FF Plus will continue to fight to break the ANC-yoke that is depriving minorities of their freedom.
Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 27 April 2020
