Government will oppose court cases over closure of beaches, says Health Minister
Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize, says he will stand by other government departments and oppose the various legal challenges regarding the new Covid-19 regulations that came into place on the 16th of December and will last through out the Festive Season.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has threatened legal action against government over the closure of beaches along the Garden Route until the 3rd of January.
The opposition party wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister (CoGTA), Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma requesting that they justify their reasons for the decision.
DA leader John Steenhuisen says the party has given the President until Thursday morning to reply.
In a statement released on Wednesday evening, Mkhize says his department stands by the regulations recommended by the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC).
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"We have every intention to oppose these applications as the Department, and Government’s mandate to protect the lives and health of our people remains paramount.
"We dare not neglect this responsibility by omitting to take the necessary actions to protect the health care system from being overwhelmed and collapsing, as we’ve seen in other countries," says Mkhize.
Meanwhile, South Africa has recorded an increase of more than 10 000 new Covid-19 cases for the first time since August.
Statistics released by Mkhize, show that the country's positivity rate has shot up to 21% and is far exceeding the acceptable rate of 10 %.
The cumulative number of cases stands at 883 687.
Afurther 166 more COVID-19 related deaths have been reported - with the Eastern Cape reporting 89 new fatalaties and the Western Cape, 31.
