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SA extends National State of Disaster by another month

July 15, 2021

The one-month extension of the National State of Disaster officially ends on Thursday.

A new month-to-month extension however kicks in until August 15, 2021.

Thursday also marks 16 months since the government declared a National State of Disaster in March last year in response to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Disaster Management Act makes provision for the declaration of a national state disaster for the first three months, thereafter the co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister is empowered to extend the state of disaster on a month to month basis.

The state of disaster has already been extended 13 times on a month to month basis.

COGTA wants the National State of Disaster extended

Reactions to the extension

The National Freedom Party (NFP) welcomed the extension of the National State of Disaster, the party says it is necessary as the third wave of coronavirus infections is looming.

NFP Member of Parliament Ahmed Munzoor Shaik Emam explains why his party supports the extension.

“We are fast approaching the third wave and it is quite clear with the numbers that have increased considerably alone. There have been over 3 200 new infections in the country in areas like Gauteng, the Free State, the Northern Cape and North West in particular.”

“We are seeing quite a considerable amount of new infections in those particular areas. So in order to contain this virus and not have a repetition of what happened in the early stages of COVID-19, we believe indeed that the National State of Disaster should be extended for at least one further month,” he explains.

Discussion on the COVID-19 third wave in SA