The extension of the National State of Disaster two years on has left many despondent and disappointed, with opposition parties calling for answers from President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to justify another extension.
It has been 24 months since the National State of Disaster was first declared in response to the global Covid-19 pandemic, with an extension for another month approved.
South Africa’s State of Disaster was set to expire yesterday, however, under Section 3 of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002) it can be extended by the minister by notice in the gazette for one month at a time before it lapses.
Minister Dlamini-Zuma on Tuesday announced another extension of the state of disaster which is now set to expire on April 15.
She said in the Government Gazette that the extension takes into account “the need to continue augmenting existing legislation and contingency arrangements undertaken by organs of the state to address the impact of the disaster”.
The country remains in lockdown alert level 1, however, due to the low infection rates there have been reports that there could be further relaxed restrictions which may include the scrapping of outdoor mask-wearing.
Health minister Joe Phaahla said earlier this month, the Department of Health proposed an easing of a number of Covid-19 restrictions to the National Coronavirus Command Council which would include reviewing regulations in travel, leisure and tourism.
Phaahla said that while there were different views on the matter, the “undisputed fact” was that the higher the number of vaccinated people, the more the economy could be opened and more social, sporting and recreational activities could take place.
In a recent podcast, Professor Salim Abdool Karim, the former co-chairperson of the Covid-19 Ministerial Advisory Committee, also called for public health measures to be dropped in light of the declining number of coronavirus infections.
Following the latest extension of the lockdown, DA Shadow Minister of Cogta, Cilliers Brink said they believed the move was “nothing but a power grab in order to continue to give ANC cronies and comrades easy access to Covid-funds and to trample upon fundamental Constitutional rights”.
In a statement calling for support of the DA’s motion of No Confidence in Minister Dlamini-Zuma, Cilliers said the decision to extend the State of Disaster was done without proper consultation with experts or the President’s Coordinating Council and that no explanation and accountability to the public and Parliament was given.
“It is time Minister Dlamini-Zuma was fired. Her brand of irrational dictatorship is eroding the economy and causing job losses on a massive scale.
“Almost 10 000 South Africans have already shown their support for the DA’s Motion of No Confidence by signing our petition. South Africa simply cannot afford to have incompetent ministers,” Brink said.
The DA’s sentiments were supported by other parties including the Congress of the People (Cope), which said Ramaphosa treated opposition parties with disrespect.
Cope’s national spokesperson Dennis Bloem said the lack of consultation with opposition parties before extending the national State of Disaster was “totally unacceptable”.
“The president expects us to support and defend this decision, but we don’t know the reasons for this extension. For two full years people have been living under this National State of Disaster, and it is totally a huge burden. A dark cloud is hanging over the heads of the people of South Africa,” Bloem said.
The National Freedom Party (NFP) secretary-general, Canaan Mdletshe said the latest extension was an indication of a country with a disastrous leadership.
“The Minister of Cogta and President Cyril Ramaphosa had an opportunity to do things differently and correctly by lifting this senseless and unnecessary state of emergency, yet they chose to extend it merely because they enjoy seeing poverty continuing.
“Clearly, we have a disastrous leadership, incompetent government, taking mind-boggling decisions,” Mdletshe said.
The NFP further called for citizens to ignore the current extension and for all activities to continue as normal.
“We want to see performing artists, musicians holding concerts with halls full to capacity. We want fans to return to stadiums as political parties hold mass rallies. We want all economic activities opened. Tourists must be allowed into the country without any preconditions or provision of vaccination certificates or proofs,” Mdletshe said.
Political Bureau
