SONA 2022 Twitter/@GovernmentZA
President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa has entered a new phase in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic and he intends ending the national state of disaster as soon possible.
Ramaphosa was delivering the state of the nation address at the Cape Town City Hall on Thursday. This is Ramaphosa’s sixth state of the nation address as president.
Ramaphosa said government’s approach to the Coronavirus has been informed throughout by the best available scientific evidence and has stood out both for the quality of the country’s scientists and for their involvement in every step of the response to COVID-19.
“It is my intention to end the national state of disaster as soon as we have finalised other measures under the national health act as well as other legislation to contain the pandemic.”
Ramaphosa said vaccines have proven to be the best defence the country has against illness and death from COVID-19.
“If we all get vaccinated, continue to observe basic health measures, and remain ever vigilant, we will be able to get on with our lives even with the virus in our midst. If I hadn’t been vaccinated, I probably wouldn’t be here now.”
Ramaphosa also said the country has given itself one hundred days to finalise the comprehensive social compact which will encompass an employment stimulus and the rapid expansion of the energy programme, among others.
