Publications
Partners
In order to continue with some restrictions beyond the lockdown period, it is important that government engage civil society organisations and community based organisations to assist in the process going forward, writes Ralph Mathekga.
In a moment of crisis, nations often allow their fear of survival to get the better of them.
It is often the case that when nations experience crisis such as wars or natural disasters, the need to seek accountability from leaders often gives way to the need to rally behind leaders as a way to show national solidarity against a crisis.
It becomes a choice of whether one is behind leaders and all they bring to the table during the crisis moment, of ask questions and risk being derided as unpatriotic.
During the times of crisis, despots often come out to take advantage of the siege under which their nations find themselves under.
The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has created an opportunity for the resurgence of despots, some of whom are packaging their dictatorial tendencies under various forms of state of emergencies.
The power grab by executives in some governments is a global phenomenon that has been witnessed in different countries since countries began responding to the outbreak of the coronavirus.
For example, Hungary's Prime Minister Victor Orban has been criticised for suspending democracy and giving himself powers to rule by decree as he responds to the spread of the coronavirus in the country.
President Donald Trump has recently stopped short of declaring himself the King of America when he claimed to “have total authority” on all that goes on in America, along those lines.
Some leaders here on the African continent responded to the pandemic by firstly postponing elections before they can even say anything about the coronavirus.
Therefore, the outbreak of the virus would certainly earn some leaders extended political terms. Some leaders would prefer to hold on to emergency laws a bit longer after the coronavirus would have been defeated.
Crisis moments often do not allow for accountability regarding the exercise of power, as we can see with how some leaders are managing the crisis.
Here in South Africa, the response to the coronavirus has been left solely in the control and involvement of government, with minimal efforts to provide accountability on the decisions that have been taken.
It is not surprising that there are already questionable expenditure in South Africa when it comes to some of the coronavirus related projects.
When it comes to South Africa's response to the coronavirus, the truth is that government flaunted its executive prerogative, and hardly meaningfully consulted with key stakeholders whose involvement could shape the path of the response to the coronavirus.
Notably, government did not even bother to be seen to meaningfully consulting with non-government organisations (NGOs) or even community-based organisations.
Government did not necessarily break any law; everything else was done in line with the Constitution.
However, the Constitution does not prescribe that the government should carry itself in a way that shows the spirit of consultations and accountability.
What we have seen in South Africa as part of the management of the country's response is a display of executive indulgence whereby the government did a bad job when it comes to consultation and receiving feedback from other stakeholders in managing the lockdown and the country's general response.
Failure by government to involve the NGOs and community-based organisations in managing lockdown among communities was based on the overzealous idea that the outbreak of coronavirus would also mean that government has suddenly developed such capacity to manage a crisis of this nature on its own.
In order to continue with some restrictions beyond the lockdown period, it is important that government engage civil society organisations and community based organisations to assist in the process going forward.
Some of the services in South Africa are generally provided by the government in collaboration with civil society organisation and NGOs.
South Africa's massive anti HIV-Aids programme, which is considered one of the world's biggest programmes, owes its existence to successful court action by Treatment Action Campaign (TAC).
Government could benefit from community based organisations such as Community Policing Forums (CPFs), for example. Those organisations have sufficient capacity to supplement government efforts in this regards.
The risk that governments face if they avoid the consultative approach in managing the pandemic is that they the leaders will be held personally responsible for results, particularly if things do not go well.
Where governments consult with key partners in society during the management of the coronavirus pandemic, there will most likely emerge a sense of collective ownership of the process and the results.
The process should not be solely reliant on government.
- Dr Ralph Mathekga is a political analyst and author of When Zuma Goes and Ramaphosa's Turn.
