Article by: Natalie Müller
Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu briefed the media and members of the public today, on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Thursday, 4 June 2020.
Minister Jackson Mthembu confirmed in his statement that the government intends on appealing the judgement of the North Gauteng High Court , which ruled that the National Lockdown is in fact illegal.
The minister did publicly advise, prior to today’s address, that the government would respond to the judgement upon completion of an internal review and perusal of the said judgement.
The case was brought to the court of law by Reyno Dawid De Beer and an organisation called Liberty Fighters Network. The matter was heard by judge Norman Davis, who found that government’s Covid-19 lockdown regulations embedded a lot of inconsistencies and they are unconstitutional.
Judge Davis has ordered them to be fixed within 14 days.
Minister Mthembu said that cabinet has approved the extension of the National State of Disaster by another month from the 15th June to 15 July 2020, which was not considered and announced to the public before the judgement by the Pretoria High Court.
Mthembu says the law allows for the National State of disaster to last for 90 days which necessitates the extension.
Following the cabinet meeting held this afternoon, the government has officially announced that it will be affirmatively appealing the court ruling.
Minister Mthembu says government will ask that its appeal be heard on an urgent basis so that it can obtain certainty on the regulations.
While government appeals the court judgment, current regulations will still remain in force and government appeals & urges all our people to observe all the health protocols that have been put in place including washing of hands,social distancing,wearing of masks in public – reinforced Minister Mthembu.
Minister Mthembu says Cabinet remains concerned at the increased COVID-19 infections in the Western Cape. He says Cabinet has noted the recent drop in dam levels, particularly in the Western Cape. As a water-scarce country, the dam levels have a negative impact on our water needs. Cabinet therefore makes an appeal to all of us to use water sparingly.
Mthembu made mention that President Ramaphosa will visit the Western Cape province tomorrow alongside Premier Alan Winde and the provincial executive to discuss the situation and to assess the province’s readiness for continued management of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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