Cape Town – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has expressed its displeasure over the latest changes to the National State of Disaster announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday.
The DA said that the changes did not go far enough.
Ramaphosa addressed the nation, as he eased several Covid-19 restrictions.
Some of the eased restrictions included the number of people allowed for indoor and outdoor gatherings and the scrapping of outdoor mask-wearing.
“The approach going forward is that both indoor and outdoor venues can now take up to 50% of their capacity provided that the criteria for entrance are proof of vaccination or a Covid test not older than 72 hours. But where there is no provision for proof of vaccination or a Covid test, then the current upper limit will remain – of 1 000 people indoors and 2 000 people outdoors,” said Ramaphosa.
He continued: “As before, it is mandatory to wear a cloth mask or similar covering over the nose and mouth when in public indoor spaces. However, a mask is not required when outdoors”.
President @CyrilRamaphosa addresses the nation in developments in South Africa’s response to #COVID19 pandemic #StaySafe https://t.co/Q7p5dA58sH
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Although the DA welcomed the scrapping of the outdoor mask-wearing, it said the changes had come too late for the summer tourism season.
“The retention of existing limits of 1 000 and 2 000 people at indoor and outdoor events will continue to strangle the events industry. These number limits are completely arbitrary and are probably exceeded daily at many of our malls or markets,” said the DA in a statement.
It continued: “The concession for venues with vaccinated or PCR negative people to go to half capacity is not enough; full capacity without any PCR or vaccine requirement should be allowed. The rules make no sense as the country struggles with record-breaking joblessness, poverty, and rising food prices, but no Covid-19 pressure in our hospitals”.
ALSO READ: WATCH | Cyril Ramaphosa scraps mandatory wearing of masks outdoors
Ramaphosa also said the Cabinet intended to lift the National State of Disaster that came into effect two years ago.
“We intend to lift the national state of disaster as soon as public comment on the regulations published by the minister of health have been completed.
“These regulations when finalised, will replace the state of disaster as the legal instrument that we use to manage the pandemic,” he said.
But the DA vowed to ensure that Covid-19 restrictions were not only eased but scrapped.
“The DA will take whatever action is necessary to ensure that every last restriction in terms of the State of Disaster is overturned – and to fight any attempt to make these permanent via regulations in the National Health Act or elsewhere,” said the DA.
The eased restrictions were effective from Wednesday.
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Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
