Freedom suffers under Covid pandemic regulations

Only a few months ago, the coronavirus reduced the exaggerated claims that human rights and freedom are unshakeable God-given truths for each human being.

Even the anti-religious conviction that each human being has complete ownership over his or her body was set aside without protest.

The staunchest advocates of human rights forgot about their convictions and went to hide at home without any debate.

Only the doctors and essential workers, who were also terrified, confronted the pandemic.

Even so, these are not the most vocal supporters of human rights.

Without a doubt any disease does not inquire if a person believes in rights, equality or not — if there is no adequate protection, sickness may occur.

However, the coronavirus did bring into question the risk of granting freedom and the benefits of having tight control over a country’s citizens. Such a contrast is never more graphic than in the case of the US and China.

China, rightfully accused of being a dictatorial regime, nevertheless did a better job in managing the coronavirus than the land of the free and brave.

Similarly, in our reality as South Africans, the so-called best constitution and liberal rights were tossed aside and dictatorial means were employed by government to nullify the people’s freedom.

Where was the constitution and where were the guaranteed rights and freedoms?

And if the government had not been tough, would the citizens have obeyed the restrictions?

The one thing that remains, though, is the reality that guaranteed freedoms and human rights are not guaranteed after all, and can be taken away if needs be by the powers that be.

The question then could be, what limits are there against such an ability and what critic is still valid against authoritarianism?

— Khotso KD Moleko, via e-mail