The constitution and the virus: The role of young people during COVID-19, What challenges and opportunities are young people faced with?

Join the Fort Hare Autumn School Alumni Network for an online seminar on The constitution and the virus: The role of young people during COVID-19, What challenges and opportunities are young people faced with?

The arrival of the novel Coronavirus “COVID 19” has caused panic and uncertainty globally. Furthermore, the lockdown greatly exposed the socio-economic problems that our country is faced with. This includes a collapsing economy, health crisis, poverty and gender-based violence, to mention just a few. Alongside this, the role of young people, and indeed their future, must be interrogated. FES FHAS Alumni Network aims to create a dynamic platform of engagement around crucial issues surrounding South Africa’s young democracy, amidst this pandemic. Thus, the FHAS Alumni Board proposes a seminar on the inclusion of young people in the response to the pandemic, the lockdown regulations and the future.

Online seminar

On the 1st of June 2020, the Gauteng high court took a decision that the lockdown regulations under level 4 and level 3 were invalid and unconstitutional. The case was brought forward by Liberty Fighters Network, the group sought to challenge the regulations. The judge mentioned that there was no regard of the impact of the regulations on the rights of people. In light of this judgement, the Minister of Co-operative governance and traditional affairs’ declaration that the country is in state of disaster, comes into question. Perhaps The Disaster Management Act of 2002, which gives the government prerogative to protect and provide relief to the public also should come into question.

The purpose of this online seminar is to provide a platform for FES fellows who are experts in the law and governance to critically analyze this dilemma with a view on youth and the future. Four questions will be answered or discussed in this seminar.

1. How do we balance the powers of the state and those of the judiciary during national disaster?
2. How effective is the constitutional democracy of South Africa?
3. Covid-19 has further exposed inequality between the haves and the have nots. What opportunities are there for South African government to ease the gap and provide economic strength for millions of South Africans who are languishing in poverty?
4. Is there a different way in which the pandemic could have been handled, for example if young people had a greater influence or were part of the national command council (NCC)? If so, what could some of those differences be? In other words what opportunities have already been missed?

We also propose that the seminar be used to develop a list of policy and research questions that can be written on and researched by fellows.

Date: 03 July 2020 
Time: 11:30-13:00
Platform: Zoom
RSVP: fhasalumni(at)gmail.com for zoom link

For more information feel free to contact the FHAS Alumni Board Chairperson, Madoda Ludidi: ludidimadoda@gmail.com