The longest three weeks of South Africa’s lives – lockdown and the National State of Disaster that perpetuated it, are potentially coming to an end after a little over two years. However, there’s a catch that isn’t going to allow Mzansi to breathe in the freedom that easily.
On Tuesday evening, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma expressed that Cabinet had discussed lifting the lockdown.
As BusinessTech reports, President Ramaphosa will hopefully give us a family meeting addressing lifting the National State of Disaster by 5 April. The National State of Disaster has faced multiple postponements regarding its lifting, causing many South Africans to adjust to a life that at one point seemed akin to the plot of a dystopian novel.
In a Government Notice, the amended Disaster Management Act outlines an end in April, however, it is still open for public comment.
The catch? Some lockdown rules may still be intact for another 30 days.
As per the Government Gazette, “the regulations and directions specified will not cease to operate or cease to be of force and effect merely because the national State of Disaster comes to an end, and will continue to operate until 30 days after the national State of Disaster ends – whereupon the regulations ad directions concerned will automatically lapse.”
Dlamini-Zuma expressed that the state of disaster can’t be transgressed from in a “reckless and abrupt manner”.
The regulations likely to continue for the next 30-days include wearing masks indoors and gathering limitations.
As for life after the National State of Disaster lift, COVID-19 legislation is still set to be integrated in the National Health Act – so don’t throw away those masks in a rush just yet.
Also read:
Cutting down the wrong tree could land you in jail for up to three years!
Picture: OECD Development Matters/ Shutterstock