South Africa’s Health Minister Joe Phaahla has proposed scrapping the coronavirus regulations that require mask wearing indoors, limit the size of gatherings and stipulate testing and vaccination requirements for travellers to SA.

Most parts of the world have been opening up and South Africa seemed to follow the steps- but no doubt the people of South Africa have expressed indignation of the remaining restrictions, seeing no reason for the government to still have them in place.

Today the country particularly businesses welcome the great news that the country’s Health Minister has called for all restrictions to be dropped. But what about accountability? We shall wait to see, if the opposition parties and independent law firms will do anything about the havoc that the government has allowed to wrack the country’s economy- So the last remaining regulations have been heavily criticised by the tourism and leisure sector for their continued effect on businesses struggling to regain a footing after more than two years of restrictions.

The health department had consulted the National Coronavirus Command Council on the morning of June 20 and proposed the regulations for mask wearing and gatherings, and port of entry limitations no longer needed to be in place, the minister said in the memo.

The Health minister said the recommendations would be discussed with the cabinet in the next 48-72 hours. Western Cape premier Alan Winde, who three weeks ago asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently organize the presidential co-ordinating council to discuss lifting the regulations, and that body was scheduled to meet this Wednesday morning. Prior to that in April the Health Minister said it would irresponsible for the country to drop the Covid restrictions.