CAPE TOWN – The Democratic Alliance (DA) is confident of its legal challenge of government’s lockdown regulations.
The party approached the Constitutional Court on Tuesday to challenge the constitutionality of the Disaster Management Act.
The DA is seeking direct access to the ConCourt; there it will argue that Parliament must play a more central role when it comes to decisions around lockdown regulations.
Early in April, the party requested the establishment of a parliamentary ad hoc committee to oversee work done by the national command council dealing with COVID-19.
That request was shot down by Parliament.
DA interim leader John Steenhuisen said the legislative branch of the country should have more input.
“They essentially allowed the national command council and the executive to make laws, to make with far-reaching and profound implications on every single one of us as citizens without a stitch of oversight and without any input from the elected legislative branch of South Africa.”
Steenhuisen said if their challenge was heard and upheld, it would allow Parliament to scrutinise and question measures introduced by the minister.