Durban - Cabinet has decided to extend the National State of Disaster to November 15 after it was due to end on Thursday, October 15.
Government declared a national state of disaster under Section 27(1) and Section 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act on 15 March 2020 – in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The state of disaster was initially set to end on June 15, but has been extended monthly since June.
According to a directive gazetted by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma noted that the extension takes into account the need to continue augmenting the existing legislation and contingency arrangements undertaken by the organs of state to address the impact of the disaster.
Cabinet has decided to further extend the National State of Disaster by a month, to 15 November 2020.
— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) October 14, 2020
This period will allow government a progressive and responsible return to normal.
Read further: https://t.co/gN8wh2w2IT #COVID19 #Lockdown pic.twitter.com/vcrbLJDxTA
Meanwhile, the DA's interim leader John Steenhuisen has called for both the state of disaster and the lockdown to end.
Earlier this week, Steenhusen said the state of disaster undermines democracy, oversight, and policy certainty.
"Extending it will be no more than a continuation of the government’s attempt to use bad science to promote a climate of fear that gives false legitimacy to the ANC’s growing authoritarianism.
“It has massively enabled the theft of state resources, which is why the ANC government has been so reluctant to end it," he said.
He further called for "the charade to end", adding that government must lift restrictions on all international travel as the tourism industry is being damaged, unnecessarily, he said.
"Government must lift all restrictions on the trade of alcohol, lift the curfew which is an unnecessary invasion of civil liberties and allow for schools to return to normal operations," he said.
IOL