State of Disaster extended to 15 February 2022

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has extended the national state of disaster to 15 February.

The extension has been gazetted in terms of section 27(5)(c) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002).

“The extension takes into account the need to continue augmenting the existing legislation and contingency arrangements undertaken by organs of state and all other role players to mitigate against the impact of the disaster on lives and livelihoods,” said Dlamini-Zuma in a statement.

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All people are urged to continue adherence to Covid regulations.

“Everyone has to wear a face mask at all times, social distance, avoid closed and poorly ventilated spaces, large gatherings and wash hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser,” said Dlamini-Zuma.   

Dlamini-Zuma reiterated calls for citizens to get vaccinated, saying that only through mass vaccination will we be able to achieve herd immunity and ultimately protect lives and livelihoods.

The country is currently on adjusted alert Level one.

Based on the trajectory of the pandemic, the levels of vaccination in the country and the available capacity within the health sector, Cabinet decided on the eve of New Year to make the following changes to Adjusted Alert Level one:

• The curfew has been lifted and there are no restrictions on the hours of movement of people.
• Gatherings are restricted to 1,000 people indoors and 2,000 people outdoors.
• Where the venue is too small to accommodate these numbers with appropriate social distancing, then no more than 50 per cent of the capacity of the venue may be used.

At least 28.7 million people have received one dose of the Covid vaccine.

But multiple experts and some provincial governments say the time has come to lift the state of disaster and manage the virus through existing legislation.

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