The National State of Disaster has been extended for the last time until 15 March 2022. This follows a virtual Cabinet meeting that was held on Wednesday where the extension of the state of disaster was one of the issues under discussion.
Cabinet says the extension was granted after engagements were held through the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJOINTS). It says some of the key departments dealing with COVID-19 still have to conclude their analysis.
Cabinet says it has therefore approved the final extension of the National State of Disaster to 15 March next month.
“Cabinet was apprised on the work that has been undertaken through the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure to determine the extent to which the management of the COVID-19 pandemic still required the existence of the National State of Disaster. Inputs were received from various government departments to determine their respective areas of work that are at an advanced stage of completion. However, after noting that some of the key departments dealing with COVID-19 had not yet concluded their analysis, Cabinet approved the final extension of the National State of Disaster to 15 March 2022, in terms of Section 27(5)(c) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act 57 of 2002),” says the Cabinet statement.
SONA 2022 I President Cyril Ramaphosa’s speech
Ramaphosa first announced the National State of Disaster in March 2020
The statement comes a day after Ramaphosa indicated that the state of disaster will end soon. The President made the announcement when he delivered his State of the Nation Address at the City Hall in Cape Town on Thursday evening.
Almost two years ago, Ramaphosa invoked the Disaster Management Act on 15 March 2020. He made the announcement following consultation with political party leaders in Parliament. It was the first time that South Africa declared a National State of Disaster to respond to a global pandemic:
“There are now more than 162 000 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus across the globe. Given the scale and the speed at which the virus is spreading,- it is now clear that no country is immune from the disease, or will be spared its severe impact. Never before in the history of our democracy has our country been confronted with such a severe situation. From the start of the outbreak in China earlier this year, the South African Government has put measures in place to screen visitors in the country to contain the spread and to treat those infected. Now South Africa has 61 confirmed cases of people infected with the virus. And this number is expected to rise in the coming days and weeks. Initially, it was people who had travelled out of the country especially from Italy who had positively tested for the virus. It is concerning that we are now dealing with the internal transmission of the virus” said Ramaphosa when he addressed the nation on 15 March 2020.
As he continued to address the nation, Ramaphosa said South Africa needed an extraordinary response to curb the outbreak.
“There can be no half measures. Cabinet held a special meeting today after which due to the serious measures we are going to announce,- I have taken time to consult with our premiers and a number of other stakeholders. We have decided to take urgent and drastic measures to manage the disease, protect the people of our country and reduce the impact of the virus in our society and on our economy. We have now declared a National State of Disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act”
Lockdowns
The declaration of a state of disaster paved way for the country to go into lockdown – 11 days later. South Africa was placed under hard lockdown on Alert Level 5. The country remains under lockdown through the declaration of a state of disaster,- but on Alert Level 1.
The lockdown will end when the state of disaster is expected to end next month. Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has signed the last month-to-month extension which has been gazetted. It is the 21st month-to-month extension which will officially kick in on Tuesday 15 February. The extension is granted in terms of the Disaster Management Act.
The Act empowers the Minister to extend a state of disaster on a month-to-month basis once the first three months have expired. The first month-to-month extension was granted in mid-June 2020. 15 March 2022 is expected to mark the end of the month-to-month extension and the end of managing the coronavirus through the declaration of a National State of Disaster.
Disaster Act being amended
Meanwhile, Parliament is still in the process of amending the Disaster Management Act to curb the unending power of the Minister to extend a state of disaster on a month-to-month basis without Parliamentary oversight. A Private Members Bill was submitted by the Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Groenewald to the Portfolio Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
The Disaster Management Amendment Bill seeks to mainly make provision for the Minister to first get permission from the National Assembly to extend a state of disaster or lockdowns on a monthly basis.
