National State of Disaster will soon be done away with: Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the National State of Disaster will soon be done away with. Currently, the country is on Alert Level 1 of the national lockdown.

However, speaking during his State of the Nation Address at the Cape Town City Hall, Ramaphosa said so far all restrictions emanating from the lockdown regulations have been lifted.

He says government still has to finalise some measures before an announcement is made to deal with all lockdown regulations.

“We are now ready to enter a new phase in our management of the pandemic, it is our intention and also my clear intention to end the National State of Disaster, we will do so as soon as we have finalised other measures under the National Health Act as well as other legislation to manage and contain the pandemic, this we have to do,” says Ramaphosa.

COGTA Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to establish possible end of the National State of Disaster: 

He says since COVID-19 reached South Africa, the country has endured successive waves of infections, the emergence of new variants and the devastating cost of nearly 100 000 recorded COVID-19 deaths.

He says South Africans have responded to this grave threat with great courage and resilience, but also with compassion and restraint.

State Capture

Ramaphosa has reassured citizens that those responsible for State Capture will be punished. He has again made a firm commitment in the fight against corruption at state-owned institutions.

“We are standing together against corruption and are making sure that those responsible will be punished for their crimes, we are rebuilding the state and rebuilding trust and pride on our public institutions,” says Ramaphosa.

State Capture Report | Discussion on the second part of the report with Sandile Swana: 

Additional reporting: Amina Accram