The civil rights organisation AfriForum has condemned government’s decision to extend the national state of disaster once again and will continue their fight in court to end the state of disaster. The organisation started legal action in February to have the state of disaster nullified. Government’s legal representatives have indicated that they will oppose AfriForum’s actions.

“This again proves AfriForum’s point that the government has no plans of ever giving up the powers they have grabbed under the guise of an emergency over the last two years. There is no reason to continue the state of disaster, unless you’re a power hungry politician or the countless corrupt individuals who are profiting from emergency procurement irregularities,” says Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s Campaigns Manager.

In its arguments, AfriForum states that there is currently no disaster and hence no need for a state of disaster. The organisation says that when the current hospitalisation and death rates for Covid-19 is taken into consideration, there is no justification for the continued clamp down on citizens’ freedoms.

AfriForum has launched numerous legal battles against unreasonable government regulations since the first lockdown was announced nearly two years ago, including abolishing government quarantine camps and other measures such as the curfew, beach bans, and the ban on religious gatherings. AfriForum and Solidarity also succeeded in having the COVID-19 Tourism Relief Fund be declared unlawful, this fund would have dispensed financial compensation to businesses and persons in the tourism sector based on the colour of their skin.