And?!?

Nearly two months into the Covid-19 lockdown and the court cases against government are mounting.

The Democratic Alliance is the latest to drag the government to court, challenging the 8pm to 5am curfew, the restrictions on the times public transport may operate, the ‘exercise window’ between 6am and 9am and restrictions on e-commerce.

Civil society group DearSA claimed a key victory on Thursday when the government eased all restrictions on e-commerce, except for cigarettes and alcohol. This was after the group threatened urgent court action unless government responded by Thursday May 14, 2020 to its request for all forms of online trading to be permitted, and outdoor exercise to be allowed during daylight hours instead of three hours in the morning.

In a statement issued on Thursday, DearSA says this is a major victory for civil society, but that the economic health of the country is deepening as the lockdown prolongs. It added it’s illogical to assume that the restrictions on e-commerce could possible slow the spread of the virus.

“As the lockdown progresses, South Africans are understandably concerned at the impact it is having on their lives and on the economy, and we know this because of the surveys conducted on a regular basis by DearSA,” says Daniel Eloff of attorneys Hurter Spies, which is representing DearSA. “There is growing frustration at the needless harm that is being done to the economy and small businesses by the extension of the lockdown to e-commerce platforms.”