Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Friday extended the National State of Disaster on Covid-19 until February 15. 

South Africa has been under the National State of Disaster for 22 consecutive months since it was first declared at the end of March 2020. The last extension was meant to end on January 15.

“The extension takes into account the need to continue augmenting the existing legislation and contingency arrangements undertaken by organs of State and all other role-players to mitigate against the impact of the [Covid-19] disaster on lives and livelihoods,” said Dlamini-Zuma.

Many are calling for the National State of Disaster to be scrapped.

Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen has said regulations are no longer necessary for managing the virus, claiming that they cause undue harm by undermining the country’s social, economic and democratic recovery.

Meanwhile, Dlamini-Zuma is urging all South Africans to be vaccinated, explaining that through mass vaccination government will be able to achieve herd immunity and ultimately protect lives and livelihoods.