The Red List’s approach on draft amendments to the National Health Act doesn’t cut it

FOR the past few weeks, Members of Parliament (MPs) have been bombarded by repeated emails about a set of recently published draft amendments to the National Health Act.

The public has been invited to comment on these government proposals.

The fact that some members of the public are energised and very active in responding to these draconian government draft regulations is great.

I believe that South Africans do not sufficiently participate when opportunities are offered for the public to provide their voice on issues.

Although participation by the public is most important, the manner and methodology of such participation is equally important.

I, therefore, don't want to discuss the particular draft Health Act amendments but the manner in which some public participation is taking place.

An email is doing its rounds from “The Red List”. I have attempted to investigate who or what The Red List is and have been unable to reach a conclusion.

It appears that The Red List has chosen to participate in this process without a proper strategy on how to participate in the first place.

The Red List has chosen to bombard the email inboxes of all MPs, Members of Provincial Legislatures and even officials.

To date, I have received a few hundred emails, all reading exactly the same, about the Health amendments. Inundating the emails of every MP has had the very opposite effect that The Red List, I suspect, is trying to do – the mails are now not being read at all and are being treated as spam.

As I stated before, participation by the public is as important as is the modus operandi thereof. The Red List should've been strategic in how they were to participate so that the best possible outcome would become a reality.

Firstly, The Red List should've introduced themselves so that the email recipient would know from whom the communication emanates.

Signing the email with a first name only means nothing and simply doesn't cut it. Second, the mail should be targeted at MPs who serve on the Health Portfolio Committee. It is these members who are at the coal-face of this issue and are intimately occupied with these proposals.

The first The Red List email I received was from “Simon” on April 6, 2022, only nine days before the first deadline for submissions. Getting in your voice as early as possible will also put you in good stead to be heard. The lastminute barrage of repeat mails is unproductive.

I certainly agree that the proposals tabled by government are plain stupid. I also know that my colleagues in the Health Portfolio Committee are fighting these proposals tooth and nail.

Properly co-ordinated and strategic public participation exercised by the public only enhances the work of my colleagues. Filling email inboxes achieves little. M. DE FREITAS | DA Shadow Minister of Tourism