A critical analysis of the South African government’s management and response to Covid-19 in the context of its constitutional commitments to its citizens based on the Social Contract Theory.
Loading...
Date
2021
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Despite the South African Constitution having been promulgated to redress the injustices of the
Apartheid regime by entrenching access to socio-economic rights, the government has failed in its
responsibility to fulfil such rights. Such failings have been highlighted and heightened since the
outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 or Covid-19 where large portions of the South African population have
been unable to comply with basic non-pharmaceutical measures. This is largely due to the inadequacies
in access to water and sanitation, food and nutrition, healthcare and adequate forms of education. A
syndemic approach to the fulfilment of socio-economic and other rights, as well as public health
emergencies may avoid such shortfalls. This is due to the approach considering more than just the
biological factors. A syndemic would also consider socioeconomic concerns, looking at sociobehavioural
issues, the physical environment, socio-marginalisation issues and government policies
The South African government should take their responsibility of realising socio-economic rights and
other human rights as stipulated in the Constitution, seriously, and accordingly adequately respond to
ongoing public health concerns such as the human immunodeficiency virus and tuberculosis epidemics
and any future public health outbreaks.
Description
Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.