May 19, 2020 - Solidariteit Beweging

The Solidarity Movement has launched an international campaign to apply pressure to the South African government to oppose racial discrimination in the allocation of government funds in the fight against the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. In a letter to overseas governments and international organisations, the Movement calls for a strong stance against the application of any form of racial discrimination when relief measures are allocated to combat the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to Flip Buys, chairperson of the Solidarity Movement, an international campaign is necessary because the government does not heed the pleas of several civil organisations and political parties. “Today, we have called on various overseas governments and organisations to not only take a stand against the alarming events of the past weeks, but also to take steps, within their powers, against the South African government. We have already spoken with politicians in various European countries, and we expect pressure to increase on the South African government.”

In its letter, the Movement refers to Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Nguabane’s Tourism Relief Fund for small enterprises in the tourism industry, as well as the decision by Small Business Development Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni to apply racial requirements when granting financial aid to small businesses.

In addition, the Solidarity Movement is concerned about what it describes as a police state developing in South Africa. According to Buys, the use of force and intimidation by the South African Police Service and the National Defence Force is worrying, and the Movement will make the outside world aware of this as well.

A third point the Movement refers to in its letter to overseas stakeholders is the restrictions regarding the aid provided by community organisations. “We are currently also making overseas governments and organisations aware of the draconian nature of South Africa’s lockdown measures. Certain measures, which do not contribute to the fight against the virus, are enforced in a draconian way. These measures all indicate a general over-regulation of civil society that encroaches upon people’s dignity and rights.”

The Solidarity Movement asks that other countries, especially the US and European countries, put pressure on the South African government to refrain from implementing unacceptable discriminatory practices and measures. The Movement has written letters to the governments of more than 30 countries, as well as to organisations such as the United Nations, the European Union, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Die Solidariteit Beweging het ’n internasionale veldtog geloods om druk op die Suid-Afrikaanse regering te plaas om rassediskriminasie in die toekenning van regeringsfondse in die stryd teen die gevolge van die Covid-19-pandemie te beveg. In ’n brief aan oorsese regerings en internasionale organisasies vra die Beweging dat sterk standpunt ingeneem word teen die toepassing van enige vorm van rassediskriminasie wanneer hulpverleningsmaatreëls in die stryd teen die gevolge van die Covid-19-pandemie ingestel word.

Volgens Flip Buys, voorsitter van die Solidariteit Beweging, is ’n internasionale veldtog nodig omdat die regering nie na pleidooie van verskeie burgerlike organisasies en politieke partye wil luister nie. “Ons het vandag verskeie oorsese regerings en organisasies versoek om nie net standpunt teen die afgelope weke se kommerwekkende gebeure in te neem nie, maar ook om binne hul magte stappe teen die Suid-Afrikaanse regering te doen. Ons het reeds met politici in verskeie lande in Europa gepraat en verwag dat druk op die Suid-Afrikaanse regering gaan toeneem.”

In sy skrywe verwys die Beweging na die Minister van Toerisme, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Nguabane, se Toerismehulpfonds vir klein ondernemings in die toerismebedryf, sowel as die Minister van Kleinsakeontwikkeling, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, se besluit om rassevereistes te gebruik in die toekenning van finansiële hulp aan klein sakeondernemings.

Verder is die Solidariteit Beweging ook bekommerd oor wat hy beskryf as ’n polisiestaat wat in Suid-Afrika ontwikkel. Volgens Buys is die gebruik van geweld en intimidasie deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens en die Nasionale Weermag kommerwekkend, en die Beweging gaan die buitewêreld ook daarvan bewus maak.

’n Derde punt waarna die Beweging in sy skrywe aan oorsese rolspelers verwys, is die inmenging in die hulpverlening wat deur gemeenskapsorganisasies gelewer word. “Ons is ook tans besig om oorsese regerings en organisasies bewus te maak van die drakoniese aard van Suid-Afrika se inperkingsmaatreëls. Sekere maatreëls, wat geen bydrae lewer tot die bestryding van die virus nie, word op ‘n drakoniese manier afgedwing. Die maatreëls dui almal op ‘n algemene oorregulering van die burgerlike samelewing waardeur mense se menswaardigheid en regte aangetas word.”

Die Solidariteit Beweging wil hê dat ander lande, veral die VSA en Europese lande, druk op die Suid-Afrikaanse regering moet plaas om van diskriminerende praktyke en maatreëls wat onaanvaarbaar is, af te sien. Die Beweging het briewe aan meer as 30 lande se regerings geskryf, sowel as aan organisasies soos die Verenigde Nasies, die Europese Unie, die Wêreldbank en die Internasionale Monetêre Fonds.