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Will the State of Disaster be extended? NCCC to meet Monday
There have been widespread calls for the government to drop the state of disaster, however, officials are in disagreement over how to manage Covid-19 without it.
President Cyril Ramaphosa and the NCCC. Picture: Siyabulela Duda/GCIS
The National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) is set to meet on Monday, according to a Sunday Times report.
Coronavirus Command Council to meet
Discord among officials
The report predicts that government is unlikely to scrap the state of disaster as there is disagreement among officials over how to manage Covid-19 without it.
There have been widespread calls for the government to drop the state of disaster and for the coronavirus management to be handled within the existing disease control measures.
Some medical experts have even gone as far as saying that it was safe to drop the outdoor mask-wearing mandate.
NCCC’s Sunday meeting postponed
The report says an NCCC meeting was initially scheduled for Sunday but was delayed to give ministers and officials more time to work out appropriate regulations that will come into effect once government ends the state of disaster, due to expire on Tuesday.
It also reports there were alleged disagreements in previous meetings over the amount of regulatory authority the health department would have once the pandemic is no longer subject to the National Disaster Management Act.
“There is disagreement over what needs to be done. There is a feeling that the current proposals leave too many powers in the hands of the minister of health,” an insider privy to discussions told the Sunday paper.
National State of Disaster
For now, it seems the state of disaster could continue over a month-to-month basis with President Ramaphosa likely to announce a further month’s extension if regulations are not ready by Tuesday.
Under level 1 regulations, gatherings are restricted to 2,000 people outdoors and 1,000 indoors. While the curfew has been lifted, nightclubs are still prohibited from operating.
There have also been calls to do away with PCR testing of vaccinated tourists entering the country.
Meanwhile, sporting bodies have requested fully vaccinated fans be allowed to watch live sporting events.
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