Lifting of Covid restrictions: It's about time
21 June 2022
The DA calls on all the MECs, the Cabinet and President Cyril Ramaphosa to support the Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla’s reported recommendations and lift all Covid-19 related health regulations as a matter of urgency.
We also call on Minister Phaahla to repeal the draft regulations relating to forced vaccinations and forced quarantines that are still up for public comment until 5 August 2022. If the Minister was serious about lifting regulations regarding social distancing and mask wearing it would be nonsensical to bring these other regulations into effect afterwards.
Minister Phaahla wrote a letter to the MECs in which he notified them of his intention to repeal the current health regulations relating to Covid-19. The DA has been calling for the lifting of Covid restrictions for months, and while we welcome a decision that would allow South Africa to finally return to normal, the timing of this decision needs to be scrutinized and is rather suspicious.
In the last two and a half years, government has been steadfast in its decisions to continue with Covid restrictions despite it being contrary to scientific evidence.