Covid-19: South Africa ends "National State of Disaster"!

The Cabinet of South Africa has decided to end the National State of Disaster with effect from midnight on 04 April 2022. Only a few transitional regulations remain in place. The end of the National State of Disaster comes 750 days since South Africa went into its initial lockdown on 15 March 2020 to curb the spread of Covid-19. The country's Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has gazetted new regulations terminating the National State of Disaster and introduced new transitional measures as the Government of South Africa prepares to begin managing the Covid-19 pandemic through the National Health Act. These provisions will remain in place for 30 days after the termination of the National State of Disaster. This is to ensure essential public health precautions and other necessary services are not interrupted while the new regulations in terms of the National Health Act come into effect.

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• Individuals are still required to wear a facemask in an indoor public space, however, a mask is not required when outdoors.
• Existing restrictions on gatherings continue as a transitional measure. This means that both indoor and outdoor venues can take up to 50% of their capacity without any maximum limit, provided that proof of vaccination or a Covid-19 test not older than 72 hours is required for entrance to the venue. Where there is no provision for proof of vaccination or a Covid-19 test, then the current upper limit of 1000 people indoors and 2000 people outdoors will remain.
• The existing provisions with respect to international travel remain in place. Travellers entering South Africa will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours. If a traveller does not submit a vaccine certificate or proof of a negative COVID-19 test, they are required to do an antigen test on arrival and if they test positive, they need to isolate for 10 days.
• Meanwhile, the directions that provide for the payment of the special R350 SRD grant remain in place. This  enables the Department of Social Development to finalise the regulations that allows the payment of the grant to continue.
• Directions that provide for the extension of the validity of a learner’s licence, driving licence card, licence disc, professional driving permit and registration of a motor vehicle remain in place.
• In addition to the Coronavirus Alert Levels no longer applicable as of midnight on 04 April 2022, the regulations on the isolation of persons, schools and access to old age homes, public transport, initiation practices, cargo transportation, and criminalisation of non-adherence to these rules falls away.