MY SUBMISSIONS TO THE RSA GOVERNMENT RE: COVID-19 AND THE INTERNATIONAL PANIC ABOUT IT

I would like to hear from you. I was informed that there is indeed one country in the entire world that did not succumb to the international panic and that is Sweden [?] 

My RSA Government called on the citizens of SA to submit their views on the lockdown and I submitted this. There is a lot of other things that I did not mention for instance the carnage on our roads every Easter Holiday and Christmas holidays. Did the government shut the entire country down for that? Absolutely not. What about the unacceptable high incidence of murder and rape and domestic violence in the RSA? Did it shut the entire country down for that? You guessed it: definitely not! 

Dear Minister or whoever is in Charge

Herewith a short resume of my reactions and thought processes regarding the worldwide pandemic called covid-19.

1. Loss of life is always permanent, regrettable and  tragic. We have to look into ways and means to curtail it. And I hasten to add our scientists and other knowledgeable people are constantly doing exactly that and I laud them for it. Having said that, I do not for one moment relinquish my right to look at their findings and methods and to pass comments on it – most of it are common sense. Death is in final analysis absolutely inevitable and every single one of us will die sometime in the future – and the comfort is to be found in Jesus Christ alone.
2. I am of the view that there is a massive and unprecedented overreaction and hysteria to the worldwide pandemic called covid-19. The entire world is in a lockdown state – see the WHO map of the prevalence of the pandemic. In light of the prevalence and the statistics provided by the WHO of the pandemic it forces one to take a long hard look at the statistics and to draw the necessary inferences from that august body’s figures. I hasten to add that each and every argument advanced for the present state of worldwide affairs, were present with the previous scares such as the ebola virus, SARS virus aids virus. There are no new arguments that are advanced for the lockdown. Most of the arguments are emotional for instance simple hygiene such as washing your hands. That is how I grew up. But unfortunately that is not how a big percentage of the world’s populace grew up.
3. Before I engage with the information provided by the WHO I want to bring to your attention the following incongruencies in the enforcement of the lockdown in SA:
1. The sale of baby clothes were forbidden! I think that you are forced to agree with me that it was totally and utterly devoid of any rationality.
2. My wife informed me that some of her make-up materials were running low but the shops were forbidden to sell it. Is there any rationality in that prohibition? I think you are similarly forced to agree that it is totally and utterly devoid of any rationality.
3. I was informed that just a week prior to my submissions, people could still purchase children’s colouring books. All of a sudden that was also forbidden. There is also to my mind no rationality to that at all.
4. It brings me to my next point: The statistics and the maps provided by the WHO forces me to engage with it on an intellectual basis and I will set it out briefly, flawed as it is.
1. I do recommend you to listen/look at the youtube video clip of Lord Sumption in the UK and his views on the overreaction of his government to this pandemic – please click on this link. I am not going to paraphrase what the Law Lord said – he is capable to do that himself.
2. The Africa Union released a covid-19 situation report by region – I attach a photo of that hereto.
3. Prof Shabir Madhi, the previous head of NICD statements as are set out in his write up in Businesslive. Please click on the link provided. Similarly I am not going to set out what the learned professor himself stated except to highlight his concerns about the flawed models used by the Government of SA.
4. The WHO statistics for SA are attached hereto.
5. My argument is that having regard to the statistics in SA:
1. We have 4361 infected cases in SA. What is the percentage of that in relation to our population of roughly 59 million people? The answer is negligibly small namely 0.007%.
2. We have 86 confirmed deaths, lamentable as it is,  but in relation to the population figures? Even much, much smaller: 0.00014%
6. If we take the worldwide figures into account it is also a cause for concern: There are about 300 000 deaths, lamentable as it is, in relation to 7.7 billion people. Percentage: 0.0038%
7. My conclusion: I submit that not only our Government but the entire world’s overreaction is inexplicable. We have however this unfortunate situation and I submit you should take it into account when you make your regulations – I recommend a massive re-think and re-evaluation of the situation.

I thank you and “sterkte” with you massive task ahead.

Neels Coertse

Prokureur & Notaris / Attorney & Notary

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