Dr. Cooperative government minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has until Wednesday to provide reasons why people in the beauty and hairdressing industry may still not work.
DA MP Dean Macpherson said on Tuesday that in a letter to Dlamini-Zuma he asked for reasons for the continued ban on personal services such as hairdressers and beauty salons.
“The criminalization of personal care services at Level 3 is irrational, arbitrary and illegal. If the minister does not answer our letter by Wednesday at 14:00, we have no choice but to approach the court, ”he says.
Macpherson says Dlamini-Zuma has provided no facts as to why this industry cannot reopen.
“It’s unacceptable.”
He says thousands of South Africans earn a monthly income from the industry.
“Our litigation is especially for the single moms and young entrepreneurs who have no other source of income than the personal care services,” he says.
The continued ban on this industry means that hundreds and thousands of people cannot generate income in a very stressful and difficult financial period in South Africa.
“The Covid-19 pandemic is ripping people’s lives apart and the result is that more and more people are on the list for grants.”
Macpherson pointed out that national treasury estimates that about 50% of South Africans will lose their jobs during the pandemic.
“If this is not reversed, the absurd measures of the minister will ensure that these forecasts come true.”
It is clear that the companies comply with the hygiene regulations, they can detect any people who may have come in contact and or have the virus, and also maintain a healthy distance to prevent the spread between customers.
“Keeping them out of the economy while allowing many other industries to do business again makes no sense,” he said in the statement.
The DA will not allow this and “we will do what we can to reopen the industry as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, Jade Tome, spokesman for Adv. Carlo Viljoen, did not respond to inquiries as to whether they will work with the DA to fight the regulations.
Viljoen filed an urgent application last week in the Cape Town High Court on the exact same issue. However, Judge Lee Bozalek rejected his application because the application was brought against the wrong minister. Viljoen’s case was against the Minister of Health and not against the Minister of Cooperative Government.
Macpherson confirmed that Viljoen was not part of their application.
