UDM leader Bantu Holomisa welcomes National State of Disaster extension

United Democratic Movement (UDM) Leader Bantu Holomisa has welcomed the extension of the National State of Disaster by Co-operative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.

The Minister has extended it for another month until the 15 of September. The decision has been published in the government gazette.

The Disaster Management Act empowers the Minister to extend the state of disaster on a month to month basis when the first 90 days of the state of disaster expires.

This will be the third month to month extension by Dlamini-Zuma.

Holomisa says the extension is still necessary…

“You cannot lift that regulation until we have reached level one. So, we will continue to be under this until the country has satisfied itself, –  that its over this pandemic. But what is going to happen is gradually, –  the government will be easing some of the regulations for COVID, like tonight (Saturday), there might be an announcement that liquor is back, cigarette is back and so on, tourism is back. But until we reach level one it’s only then that those regulations by the CoGTA department will thing of the past.”

In the video below, COGTA wants National State of Disaster extended: 

Meanwhile, The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC) has expressed concern about the executive’s failure to consult parliament in the continued extensions of the State of Disaster as announced by Dlamini Zuma.

President Cyril Ramaphosa first instituted the State of Disaster in mid March and it was supposed to last three months. However there is provision for the monthly extension of the state of disaster.

CASAC’s Executive Secretary, Lawson Naidoo …

“The Disaster Management Act as it stands does provide the authority to the minister to extend the National State of Disaster on a month to month basis. We’re about to enter the 6th month of this national lockdown and I think it is of concern that it is of such a long duration and from a governance point of view the fact that parliament is not involved in the oversight of any of the regulations that have been promulgated by the minister or by cabinet and that’s something that I think we need to reflect on in terms of what the long term impact of our democracy might be.”