Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele. Photo: GCIS
Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele. Photo: GCIS
During a briefing to the media on outcomes of the latest gathering of Cabinet, Minister in the Presidency Mondli Mungubele confirmed that South Africa’s State of Disaster will be extended once again.
The country has been in a state of disaster due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020, and the latest extension continues government’s ad hoc approach to ensuring that lockdown regulations are able to be implemented.
State of Disaster extended until October
Cabinet approved the extension of the National State of Disaster to 15 October 2021, in terms of Section 27(5) (c) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (57 of 2002), with Mungubele saying that Cabinet has welcomed positive news regarding South Africa’s vaccine rollout strategy.
Cabinet was apprised by the Department of Health on the progress of the Vaccination Roll-out Programme, which included epidemiology and surveillance. Cabinet noted the decline in new infections, as well as hospital admissions and reported death cases,” he said, noting however that an increase in infection reproduction rates remains a concern, particularly in schools.
“The Department of Health assured Cabinet that more work is being done to understand and contain the reported school cluster outbreaks, particularly in the Eastern Cape,” he said.
Cabinet appealed to parents, students and school governing bodies to ensure strict adherence to the wearing of masks, ventilation, social distancing and hand washing hygiene.
“Strict adherence to the non-pharmaceutical health protocols remains the most effective defence against the spread of the virus,” said Mungubele.
Vaccine rollout garnering positive results
Mungubele reported that by 31 August 2021, more than 12 568 525 doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered across the country, and said that the upswing in jab distribution has the increased number of vaccination sites, extended vaccination days and the provision of free transport by provinces to thank.
“Cabinet encourages unvaccinated people in our country, especially adults and those at high risk of developing severe illness, to vaccinate as quickly as possible,” he said.
“Vaccines hold good benefits for our health as they prevent serious illness, hospitalisation and death. Let us fight the virus together by spreading verified information about vaccines provided by the Department of Health and World Health Organisation.”
