PM EXTENDS PARTIAL LOCKDOWN

MBABANE – Technically, the lockdown ended on Friday. However, Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini announced last night in a press statement that the partial lockdown remained in force.
He said a declaration in accordance with Section 29 of the Disaster Management Act, 2006, has been re-issued. He did not attach the Declaration to the press release.

Instead, the prime minister mentioned that details would be released in due course.
He then appealed to the public to continue observing all the partial lockdown measures and to adhere to health guidelines and protocols provided by the Ministry of Health and World Health Organisation (WHO). 
“Government wishes to announce that the partial lockdown aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19 remains in force,” stated the prime minister.

Sipho Gumedze, a senior human rights and constitutional attorney, said the premier should have issued a Gazette to extend the partial lockdown.
“We don’t work with press releases,” he advised.

He advised that Dlamini’s announcement on the extension of the partial lockdown should be informed by an instrument. The attorney pointed out that the Disaster Management Act should have been read carefully and applied on time, to avoid a situation whereby emaSwati would punch holes in the manner in which the partial lockdown was being extended to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Henry du Pont, the President of the Federation of Eswatini Business Community (FESBC), called for respect of social partners whenever regulations on Covid-19 were made.

not understandable

Du Pont said some of the regulations were not understandable yet they had the mandate to operate businesses that contribute to the economy of the country and livelihood of emaSwati.
“We respect the prime minister, but we also ask him to respect us,” he said.
He said businesspeople did not exist by mistake, but were part and parcel of the beautiful Kingdom of Eswatini. 

Bheki Mamba, the President of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) said the prime minister appeared uncertain and fearing to come out to declare government’s position on the rising numbers of people with the coronavirus.
He said Dlamini should make a comprehensive statement on the numbers – is government incapable of handling them in the face of limited resources or the public should calm down as everything is under control?
Mamba pointed out that Mavuso Exhibition and Trade Centre and Lubombo Referral Hospital would need additional human resource that would stretch the already strained health system. He said Eswatini did not have enough medicine, personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing kits.

country lacks capacity
to test all people

At worse, he said the country lacked capacity to test all people. Due to limited resources, the president mentioned that nurses were of the view that the nation should revert to lockdown so that government and stakeholders could re-strategise for purposes of flattening the curve.
“As it stands, the public is alarmed at the rising cases of the coronavirus,” he said. 

By 8pm yesterday, the country had recorded 627 cases of the coronavirus, 285 recoveries and five deaths.
According to Section 29 which the premier cited in his press release, when a disaster event is threatening, the prime minister may determine whether the event qualifies as a disaster in terms of this Act.

consultation

If it does qualify, the prime minister in consultation with the minister responsible for disaster management (Deputy Prime Minister) shall -
(a) Assess the magnitude and severity or potential magnitude and severity of the disaster and 
(b) Classify the disaster as a national or regional disaster and declare a national or regional emergency in accordance with subsections (4);

(2) When assessing the magnitude and severity or potential magnitude and severity of a disaster, the prime minister may enlist the assistance of an independent assessor to evaluate the disaster on site;
 (3) A disaster classified in terms of subsection (1) (b) as a national or regional disaster may at any time be reclassified by the prime minister if the magnitude and severity of potential magnitude and severity of the disaster is greater or lesser than the initial assessment.

 (4) A disaster is a regional disaster if it affects any region and the region concerned is able to deal with it effectively.
 Those in the know said the premier was likely to invoke section 29 (3) and (7) to extend the partial lockdown.

Reads subsection 7: “the duration of a national emergency may be extended by declaration under subsection (1) for further period not exceeding one month in each case.”
It is mentioned in subsection 6 that a declaration of a national emergency shall come into force immediately it is made on unless earlier revoked, shall continue in force for a period specified in the declaration, not exceeding two months.
 

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