Analysis of South Africa’s response to COVID-19 through the securitization theory

Abstract

The study aimed to analyse South Africa’s response to COVID-19 and if it constituted a securitization act. To securitize means a securitizing actor elevates an issue beyond politics by treating it as an existential threat and adopt emergency and extra-ordinary measures to manage it. The study employed the securitization theory and its core elements to analyse President Cyril Ramaphosa's speeches in response to the COVID-19 outbreak to determine if specific words and phrases meet the securitization threshold. The study also explored the de-securitization concept, specifically, in relation to South Africa's COVID-19 alert level system as well as President Ramaphosa's speech to the nation delivered on 4 April 2022 which effectively terminated the national state of disaster and national lockdown. The study concludes that President Ramaphosa securitized COVID-19 to protect the people of South Africa and the economy against the existential threat caused by the virus. The main goal for securitizing COVID-19 was to flatten the curve to allow time for the health system to increase readiness, which was accomplished. The study further reveals that the alert level system created a de-securitization spectrum where the securitization levels were gradually relaxed towards a de-securitized spectrum. The president's speech on 4 April 2022 to terminate the national state of disaster and national lockdown marked a full de-securitization of COVID-19 and a return of the country to normalcy. The study provides a framework, which scholars can use to analyse non-traditional security issues, which may present existential threats to referent objects.