Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma will likely extend the national state of disaster by another month this week, as government relies on the regulations to deal with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
While the state of disaster was originally set to lapse on 15 June, the act provides that the state of disaster may be extended by the Cogta minister – by notice in the gazette – for one month at a time before it lapses.<\/p>\n
The current extension will end on Thursday, 15 October. However, with the country still sitting with over 50,000 active cases of Covid-19, and over 1,000 new infections every day, it is very likely that the Dlamini-Zuma will again extend the state of disaster.<\/p>\n
Push-back<\/strong><\/p>\n The extended national state of disaster has faced increased scrutiny from business groups and political parties who want the prolonged coronavirus lockdown to end.<\/p>\n The Democratic Alliance on Monday (12 October) called on government to resist the urge to once again extend the state of disaster, and by extension bring an end to lockdown.<\/p>\n DA leader John Steenhuisen said that the state of disaster undermines democracy, oversight, and policy certainty, and entrenches what the party called “bad science”, promoting a climate of fear in the country.<\/p>\n “Extending (the state of disaster) will be no more than a continuation of the government\u2019s attempt to use bad science to promote a climate of fear that gives false legitimacy to the ANC\u2019s growing authoritarianism,” he said.<\/p>\n Steenhuisen said that under South Africa’s level 1 lockdown rules, harm and damage is still being done to certain sectors of the economy – particularly tourism and the alcohol industry. Lockdown also continues to interrupt education, with no benefits to society, he said.<\/p>\n The DA called for the end of the state of disaster and lockdown, highlighting the following areas that were still being negatively impacted:<\/p>\n Second wave\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n While the government has continued to ease lockdown restrictions, it may be hesitant in allowing the state of disaster to lapse as the country still faces a possible second wave of coronavirus infections.<\/p>\n In an interview with eNCA on Sunday (11 October), Health minister Zweli Mkhize said that the country could face a second wave if citizens grow complacent in wearing masks and failing to follow other established safety guidelines.<\/p>\n\n
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