President Cyril Ramaphosa is apparently preparing to announce a decision to revise the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions to Alert Level 2 and end the divisive prohibition on dop and entjie sales.
According to sources, who spoke to African News Agency after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the president initially agreed to make the announcement on Sunday night.
However, he may decide to do so sooner, partly because the eagerly-awaited agreement to lift the ban on tobacco sales has caused wrangling among Cabinet members to continue.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize and Cooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who signed off on the regulation maintaining the ban in terms of the Disaster Management Act, are understood to be opposing the move.
The entjie ban has become a huge liability for the government, losing its desperately needed tax revenue.
Meanwhile, DA leader John Steenhuisen said Ramaphosa needs to end the lockdown: “The DA calls on President Ramaphosa to end the hard lockdown now, including the irrational bans on tobacco and alcohol. The tourism industry, schools, and borders need to be fully opened, the curfew lifted, and the state of disaster ended. It is high time for Ramaphosa to grow a spine, stand up to his party and start putting South Africa first.”
The DA leader said South Africa’s Covid-19 infection rate was declining, which was taking pressure off the public health system.
An estimated three million people have lost their jobs as a result of the lockdown.
African News Agency