COVID-19 | DA calls on South Africans to reject draft regulations

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Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, John Steenhuisen, has called on South Africans to reject the draft regulations under the National Health Act that previously sought to minimise the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The regulations are currently open for public comment until Friday next week. Earlier this week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the lifting of the National State of Disaster.

Last month, the DA instructed its lawyers to bring an urgent application before  court to challenge the extension of the State of Disaster in the country after the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs  Minister, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma announced yet another extension.

Steenhuisen was speaking to the SABC in Doornpoort in Tshwane.

“It should’ve ended far sooner because it’s really been a stranglehold on our economic development and I think it’s reflected in the unemployment figures that have been sharply rising during the course of the lockdown. We should’ve freed our economy far sooner. I’m very worried that Government is now trying to legislate those particular lockdown regulations into law. I think it’s a mistake. We’ve got too many laws in South Africa that already restrict economic activity. We should be looking at cutting red tape, not trying to make the burden harder for South Africans and I would really urge every citizen to respond by the deadline of 15 April to those draft regulations and to reject them,” says Steenhuisen.

Mounting calls 

Pressure has been mounting on government to completely abolish the National State of Disaster.

Non-Profit Organisation, Dear SA, says there is evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic no longer exists.

Dear SA’s Director, Gideon Joubert, says South Africa is no longer in a pandemic.

“The reasons are very simple. It is because the reasons that give rise to the State of Disaster no longer exist. We are no longer in a pandemic, as we have seen decisions made by other countries, and we do have effective measures to deal with COVID-19 already in our toolbox. Also, in the event of a pandemic, government has the power to reinstitute a State of Disaster with the correct oversight. The reason given by the CoGTA Minister is because she needs time to amend laws and regulations. That does confirm, rationally, that we are no longer in an actual disaster,” says Joubert.

Health experts have also added their voices. Professor of Vaccinology at Wits University, Shabir Madhi says the remaining restrictions and regulations no longer serve any purpose and should be lifted.

Prof Madhi says the country needs to move to a phase of learning to live with the virus.

In the video below, a discussion on growing calls to end the National State of Disaster: 

 

-Additional reporting by SABC News