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In a dramatic turn of events the all-important Court hearing in which LFN will challenge the legality of the National State of Disaster will be held on Wednesday, 26 August 2020, at 10am. As per the direction of Justice Norman Davis of the High Court Gauteng Division Pretoria, the hearing will be held “virtually”. This implies that there will be no television broadcast, either.
In an earlier letter addressed to the Court the heavy-weight legal team of the CoGTA Minister, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, headed by Adv. Wim Trengove SC and three other members of the bar, alleged that:
“In our previous experience of a physical hearing in this matter [on 24 June 2020] there was no adherence to the necessary health protocols of physical distancing, wearing of masks and sanitising by many in the court room. This poses a risk to us, particularly those who are vulnerable to complications arising from a Covid-19 infection.”
LFN does not deny the right of Dr Zuma’s legal team to be afraid of anything. In this case same appears to be no more than a little Red Herring, however. Not only did Mr Trengove during the very hearing make absolute zero attempts to alleviate the shortcomings which he (in unison with the rest of Dr Zuma’s team) now alleges, but he himself even confirmed to the Court to feel sufficiently safe before he delivered his verbal argument. (See SABC News, 24 June 2020, Government appeals court ruling on lockdown regulations, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUMHvs7kbYw) .
It is of course a very serious matter should officers of the court found to be misrepresenting facts. LFN considers raising the point before another forum if and when appropriate.
As part of the government, Dr Zuma herself (and by implication her legal team), is fully aware of recent publications by NICD and others, according to which this year’s influenza – bar a single lonely case of infection in Gauteng – has been completely defeated; same allegedly owed to Dr Zuma’s health-protecting lock-down measures.
Both COVID-19 and Influenza are caused by rather similar-sized viruses, in exactly the same manner – via droplets being exhaled by human breathing into the protectively worn masks; it becomes apparent that the Lockdown measures appear to have very little, if any, effect on the Coronavirus (the purpose for which they were put into effect) while they are very successful in eliminating something else. Therefore, only one of the following can be correct:
1) Face masks are somehow able to detect whether a droplet contains a SARS-CoV2 virus (in which case there is a good possibility that any given mask will let such virus pass, in either direction) or if it contains an Influenza A or B virus – which it will not let through, without exception whatsoever. LFN would find this extraordinary, indeed.
2) Dr Zuma’s measures, masks in particular, offer no protection from anything and are enforced for reasons other than medical. Everybody is at the same risk, when following measures, as well when not following them. Whether this risk may be regarded as high or low will depend on a multitude of reasons, and in LFN’s experience very few of them are medical, biological or epidemiological in nature. Looking at facts: During May 2020 Pakistan’s Supreme Court declared the COVID-19 event a nullity and life there continued in normal fashion. Yet, reports of large amounts of unprotected Pakistanis dying in the streets of Islamabad due to an overwhelming onslaught of a pandemic are just not coming in.
In line with the latter, Dr Zuma’s so-called COVID-19 case numbers might be not much more than some gobbledeegook, scientifically speaking. LFN has raised this point on the basis of actual scientific work and shall continue to do so. Meanwhile, President De Beer confirms that he is ready to argue the case of both LFN and himself in person, following the withdrawal of the legal representatives of LFN, due to financial constraints.
LFN has managed to arrange moderate virtual facilities and will also now live stream the hearing directly to its public audience on Wednesday, 26 August 2020 from 10am, on both YouTube and Facebook. Channels on YouTube and Facebook will be announced prior to the event. Nationwide, about 110 restaurants and pubs represented by LFN during the latest Court case, will broadcast the event live.