By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) will meet on Monday (14 March) to discuss updated lockdown restrictions for South Africa. However, it is unlikely to scrap the national state of disaster as there is disagreement in the government over how to manage Covid without it, the Sunday Times reports.
Government ministers have been given until this week to draft new regulations that will replace the state of disaster. Once these have been agreed upon, the regulations will be gazetted and president Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation.
However, sources involved in the process told the publication that there are disagreements over the amount of regulatory authority the health department would have once the pandemic is no longer subject to the National Disaster Management Act.
“There is disagreement over what needs to be done. There is a feeling that the current proposals leave too many powers in the hands of the minister of health,” said a source privy to discussions. Another insider said the NCCC would continue discussions on how to fully reopen the economy.
Addressing media on Saturday evening, Ramaphosa said the government was still considering whether to extend the state of disaster this week and what regulations it will introduce to replace it.
“It will not be heavy duty, it will be light duty so that we are able to manage this pandemic going forward.
“People should not stress too much about this, we are finding the best way possible of bringing a logical conclusion to the (end) of the state of disaster,” he said.
The state of disaster is set to expire on 15 March 2022. This would make it 24 months since it was first declared at the end of March 2020.
While the national state of disaster was initially set to lapse on 15 June 2020, the act provides that it can be extended by the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs minister by notice in the gazette for one month at a time before it lapses.
The government has relied on the regulations to introduce and give effect to lockdown restrictions, which it has used to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile Ramaphosa has encouraged South Africans to go out in their numbers and get their booster COVID-19 shots as the country has not yet defeated the pandemic.
He said the COVID-19 virus is still very much with us and therefore everyone should get vaccinated as well have their booster shots.
“If you have already been vaccinated go and get your booster shot. I am getting my booster shot here in Mahikeng. I want to encourage all of us to vaccinate and ensure that we are all vaccinated.
“Other nations are imposing further lockdowns because there has suddenly been a flare up. We are not yet out of the woods, COVID-19 is still here, therefore it is important that we should be protected through vaccination, “Ramaphosa said.
Leading by example, the jovial Ramaphosa received his Pfizer booster shot administered to him by healthcare workers in Mahikeng where he was conducting a Presidential Imbizo.