If ever there was a time for South Africans to act with common purpose it is surely now, as the fast-moving third wave of the Covid pandemic re-tightens its grip around our economy and collective throat. Politicians are not exempt from adhering to lockdown regulations designed to slow the pandemic’s spread, no matter how desperate their situations.

Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor must tighten the screws on unstable Eswatini by summoning its ambassador and using South Africa’s regional muscle to demand the kingdom’s security forces adhere to universal principles of human rights. As next-door-neighbours in a global village of nations, South Africa and Eswatini have a mutually dependant relationship in which the welfare of one directly impacts the welfare of the other.

For a second time in any as many days the Constitutional Court upheld the supremacy of the rule of law. The majority decision upheld the principle that the Public Protector’s adjudication powers are derived from the constitution, and other legislation, and that the office of the Public Protector cannot exceed these powers or her mandate.

GOOD Party Secretary-General Brett Herron has laid a criminal complaint against Mayor of Cape Town Dan Plato. The complaint, filed at Cape Town Police Station, follows the City hosting a series of at least 24 gatherings on Tuesday evening – less than 48 hours after President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation to announce a total prohibition of gatherings due to the resurgent Covid pandemic.

The further downgrade of the City of Tshwane by rating agency Moody’s to four notches below investment grade, the second downgrade in three months, is a bugle call for urgent and drastic intervention. If the DA-led city administration is left to mismanage the city until after local government elections in October – or later, depending on Covid and the IEC - there will be virtually nothing left for a newly elected administration to re-build on.

On a day when the South African Constitutional Court placed the supremacy of the rule of law above the power of individuals who held or hold office, City of Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato, defied the latest Covid-19 Regulations by hosting illegal gatherings breaking the law.

No-one in South Africa should celebrate the finding that a former president has been found guilty of contempt of court and sentenced to 15 month, unsuspended, imprisonment. No-one in South Africa should celebrate the findings that President Zuma’s conduct, and attitude towards the court, was so egregious that it constituted aggravated circumstances.

Hosting an annual one-day “youth parliament”, as the Western Cape does, pays lip-service to the myriad critical issues confronting young people, GOOD secretary-general and Member of the Provincial Parliament, Brett Herron, said today. Addressing a special sitting of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, to which young people were invited to share their views, Herron said he would be introducing a private members’ bill to amend the provincial constitution to create a permanent Western Cape Youth Parliament.

When politicians are required to defend actions they have taken in the official execution of their duties they are entitled to have their costs paid by taxpayers or ratepayers. This entitlement does not extend to defending alleged criminal activities, as the Constitutional Court recently ruled in respect of former President Jacob Zuma – in a matter brought by the DA.

The massive resurgence of the Covid-19 virus, and in particular the highly contagious Delta variant, has pushed our government to introducing a hard lockdown with much of our social and economic activity restricted or shut-down. The lockdown was unavoidable as the third wave resurgence appears to be larger and more impactful on healthcare services than the first and second waves.