President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced several changes in Covid-19 restrictions effective from Wednesday after they have been gazetted.
This follows a meeting Ramaphosa had on Tuesday with his Cabinet ministers, South Africa’s nine premiers, and mayors of metropolitan municipalities to discuss the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
On 15 March, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma extended the National State of Disaster to 15 April as government continues to finalise the new National Health Act regulations.
Ramaphosa said the government intends to lift the National State of Disaster once the new health regulations have been finalised. Once finalised, they will replace the Covid-19 regulations. The public has until 16 April to comment on the proposed health regulations.
Responding to calls for the government to lift the National State of Disaster, Ramaphosa said: “We’re now ready to enter a new phase in our management of the pandemic after four waves. About 60 to 70% have some form of immunity from the disease. 40% of all adults have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.”
The country has been on adjusted level 1 lockdown since October, with the latest changes implemented on 31 January.
As of 22 March, the country has recorded a total of 3.705,696 positive cases of Covid-19 and 99,893 fatalities. There are 14,230 active cases.
As of 22 March, South Africa has been in lockdown for at least 726 days after President Cyril Ramaphosa first declared the National State of Disaster in March 2020.
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