Africa-Press – South-Africa. Despite the national state of disaster having been lifted more than three months ago, over 200 people are still in court for violating lockdown regulations.
According to Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola, thousands have appeared in court for transgressions.
Lamola was responding to a written parliamentary question from DA MP Werner Horn.
Horn had asked Lamola about the number of people that were charged with offences in terms of the state of disaster regulations, which were amended over two years.
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The government declared and maintained the national state of disaster from 15 March 2020 until 4 April 2022 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Information extracted from the Electronic Case Management System consists of 265 accused still in court, with cases involving 9 489 accused disposed of in court. The total accused that appeared on charges relating to the state of disaster regulations amounts to 9 754 accused,” Lamola said.
He, however, reiterated that those found on the wrong side of the law could have also paid admission of guilt fines:
“The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) does not arrest or charge [the] accused but is involved in the prosecution of accused persons. The South African Police Service will be in a better position to respond, especially due to admission of guilt options having been determined by the Judiciary on various of these contraventions.
He said:
In June, the government announced that South Africans no longer need to wear masks indoors in public settings.
Limits on gatherings and border checks – including for vaccination status – were also dropped.
All regulations were repealed with a Government Notice signed by Health Minister Joe Phaahla.
The mask mandate and other restrictions had originally been imposed under the authority of a national state of disaster.
When that was discontinued, the same rules were imposed under the power granted to the health minister to deal with notifiable medical conditions.
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