The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) has expressed ‘grave concerns about the political attack’ on Professor Glenda Gray, president of the SA Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and a member of the government’s Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid-19 (MAC).
The attack on Gray ‘should raise red flags in our constitutional democracy’, the ASSAf statement said.
The statement comes as controversy mounts over the letter sent to the SAMRC’s board last week by Acting Director-General of the Health Department, Anban Pillay, requesting that her conduct be investigated.
This was followed yesterday by a letter from the board’s chairperson Professor Johnny Mahlangu, apologising to the Ministry of Health and the MAC for Professor Gray’s comments about lockdown regulations, and undertaking to institute a fact-finding investigation into the ‘damage’ the comments might have caused.
The ASSAf statement, signed by Professors Jonathan Jansen, Barney Pityana and Brenda Wingfield, said Pillay’s actions were ‘extremely alarming’ and represented a violation of the constitutional right to academic freedom, which included the right to freedom of academic research.
‘We, therefore, wish to record our objection in the strongest possible terms to what appears to be the bullying of a scientist, who not only heads up one of the nation’s most prestigious research institutions, but who has a history of courageous service as a medical professional in fighting epidemics, such as HIV/AIDS and now Covid-19.’
In just two days, another statement from other academics supporting Gray issued at the weekend had been signed by more than 250 of the country’s leading scientists and academics, and other members of the scientific and medical fraternity, including heads of faculties at South Africa’s leading universities.
The statement condemns ‘the specific threat’ against Professor Gray, and asserts the ‘right to academic freedom of speech’. It calls on the government ‘to engage openly with alternate views, and for all of us to urgently work towards constructive solutions regarding policy, in the interests of the country’.
The controversy arose after Gray’s critical comments about the lockdown in an interview with News24. She was sharply criticised by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.
The government’s lockdown woes continued yesterday with two of the country’s trade union federations raising concerns about public servants returning to work next week when the country moves to level 3 of the lockdown. The South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) threatened strike action.
Both Saftu and the governing African National Congress alliance partner, Cosatu, expressed doubt about the government’s preparations, particularly regarding public transport and the safety of passengers.
The Western Cape has called on the government ‘to move as quickly as possible’ in ensuring that the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) ‘is provided with the resources it so urgently requires and that testing across the country can continue unhindered’. Premier Alan Winde made the statement after revealing that the Western Cape had an 18 000-test backlog for Covid-19.
Winde said he had already discussed the problem with Mkhize, and that he understood that the problem was a worldwide shortage of reagents and test kits, the increased testing in all of the provinces, and the release of results by the NHLS.
Positive cases in South Africa rose by 1 032 to 23 615. The death toll is up by 52 to 481.
It also emerged yesterday that President Cyril Ramaphosa had filed papers in the Constitutional Court opposing the Democratic Alliance’s challenge of the Disaster Management Act (DMA).
The government argues that Parliament, and not the judiciary, can devise mechanisms for oversight over the executive, and that the DMA confers legislative powers that are justified in enabling the government to respond promptly to national disasters.
Health Minister Mkhize published fresh regulations yesterday providing details on how Covid-19 victims should be buried.
The regulations enjoin towns and cities to identify suitable sites for mass graves. Mkhize said that should deaths exceed existing burial space, ‘the government may intervene to facilitate mass burials’.
Globally, at least 5.4 million people have been infected and more than 345 000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.