HSF Briefs

The Lockdown Is Unconstitutional - Part II

The Disaster Management Act is the legislation through which the Minister has effected the current lockdown. In this brief, the purpose and limits of the powers afforded to the executive by the Disaster Act are considered, and it is explained that despite their exceptional nature, these powers must be interpreted and exercised consistently with the transformative vision articulated in the first brief.

The Lockdown Is Unconstitutional - Part I

Matthew Kruger argues that the purpose and process by which Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has locked South Africa down is unconstitutional. In this first brief, it is explained that the state, in all that it does, has a constitutional duty to respect, protect, promote and fulfill the transformative vision that suffuses the whole constitutional order.

Economic Prospects: Some Observations

This brief offers four observations on the prospects for the South African economy.

The regulations adopted for Level 4 of the national state of disaster and their implications

This brief deals with the nature of the Level 4 regulations and their economic, legal and political implications

When the United States Economy Sneezes... The likelihood of a “V-shape” Recovery in the United States

The United States generates more than 20 percent of the world's total output and the dollar is the global reserve currency. What happens to its economy will have a global impact. This brief considers the possibility of a so-called “V-shaped” recovery in the US economy.

Hand Hygiene During The Covid-19 Epidemic

In an epidemic where so much remains unknown and where fear is widespread, it is important to enable all persons at risk to feel a sense of agency in relation to their own safety. Two elements are considered here: education about the importance of hand hygiene, and the provision of adequate quantities of usable water and sanitation to make thorough hand washing possible.

The Presidential Address To The Nation: 21 April 2020

This brief sets out the key features and implications of the President’s address on 21 April 2020.

Mental Health II - National Health Insurance

Part 2 will consider the content of the National Health Insurance Bill as well as possible implications that it may have on the state of mental health care.