South Africa has extended its national state of disaster on Covid-19 by one month starting on Friday, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma announced on Thursday.
The minister said cabinet approved the decision to extend the national state of disaster following consultations with relevant stakeholders, including medical scientists and other experts.
“The extension takes into account the need to continue observing all non-pharmaceutical interventions against Covid-19, and increasing vaccinations as part of contingency measures being undertaken to mitigate against its impact,” Dlamini-Zuma said.
She said the government remained committed to saving lives and ensuring that more people get vaccinated as it is the only way to safely open the economy and go back to normal life.
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently said he wished he “could say the state of disaster has ended but we are guided by science. And the science of the pandemic and the advisory committee advises us against fully reopening.”
In an address to the nation a few weeks ago, Ramaphosa warned that “there is fear and concern that there could be another wave still coming.”
NM/jn/APA