The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on government to put an end to the extended National State of Disaster.
DA Shadow Minister for Cooperative Governance, Haniff Hoosen, says with coronavirus infections on a downward trend – it is high time that government ends the state of disaster, which poses limits on people’s freedoms.
He says government should realise that the lockdown has served its purpose and is no longer needed.
In a statement, the Cabinet confirmed that the National State of Disaster would be extended to 15 October.
Hoosen says it is time for the country to focus on rebuilding the economy and allowing tourists back into country.
He says it is clear that South Africans have become accustomed to that practice and they are capable of managing what is left of the spread of the virus in our country in a much better way.
“And for that reason I think there’s no reason why government should keep the country in lockdown any further. There’s still a number of restrictions that remain enforced and that’s having a devastating impact on the tourism industry. It’s time that they open up the borders so that at least we can start inviting tourists back into the country. Our economy is in a terrible state at the moment. Millions of South Africans have lost their jobs and the sooner that they can end the lockdown, the sooner South Africans can get back to a normal way of life,” says Hoosen.
Below is a statement by the Cabinet on the extension of the lockdown:
