LISTEN | State of disaster could be reinstated if need arises, says Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

05 April 2022 - 16:22
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Cogta minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma says the national state of disaster is a measure the government can put in place again if there is another overwhelming surge of Covid-19. File photo.
Cogta minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma says the national state of disaster is a measure the government can put in place again if there is another overwhelming surge of Covid-19. File photo.
Image: GCIS

Co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has defended the government’s decision to terminate the national state of disaster amid fears about a possible fifth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.   

This as some parts of the world battle new variants and a fifth wave of infections.

Asked if this had been a wise decision and what it would mean for the country, Dlamini-Zuma said the government could again declare a state of disaster if the situation called for it.

“The Disaster Management Act only kicks in when there is a disaster. It does not apply in anticipation of a disaster. The definition is very clear. However, if the fifth wave is such that the pandemic becomes a disaster, the Disaster Management Act will come back and the national state of disaster will come back.  

“We can’t keep it because somebody says there may be a fifth wave,” she said.

She was addressing the media with minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele and health minister Joe Phaahla after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation on Monday evening.   

Ramaphosa announced the end of the national state of disaster but said the wearing of face masks indoors and regulations on the number of people at gatherings remained. These regulations were set to remain in place for 30 days. 

Phaahla said the government had been monitoring situations worldwide.  

“We are doing the best of what we know. We follow what we know. When something changes we will be able to move speedily,” he said.

Responding to a question about consequences for failure to adhere to the regulations, Dlamini-Zuma said this had not been the responsibility of law enforcement officials only but a collective one.

“This time, because the disaster has passed but the pandemic continues, it’s in our hands, because we can manage with our resources, we can wash hands, wear masks and so on.  We need to respect this individually and as a collective. It is in our hands. If the situation escalates, the Disaster Management Act will come back,” she said.

Phaahla reiterated that the termination of the state of disaster did not mean the end of the pandemic.

“We encourage all eligible unvaccinated and partly vaccinated people to vaccinate because vaccine remains the only effective weapon for us to prevent a resurgence of infections and high number of casualties,” he said.

Vaccination hesitancy remained a great concern for the government as only 44.5% of the adult population had fully vaccinated by Monday, he added.

“Our total number of vaccinated people is very low compared to other countries that have lifted lockdowns. If we are hit by another variant or wave, the chances of experiencing high levels of transmission and infections will be great.”

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