The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, declared South Africa a national disaster area. The announcement came through a notice in the Government Gazette issued on Wednesday, 4 March 2020.

Announcing the declaration, the Minister stated that the considering the impact of persisting drought conditions in many parts of the country, reclassified as a national disaster by the Head of National Disaster Management Centre under Government Notice 107/2018 published in Government Gazette 41439 and taking into account the need to augment the existing drought relief interventions undertaken by organs of state thereby:

(i) Recognised that special circumstanced prevailed to warrant the declaration of a state of national disaster; and declare the drought crisis affecting multiple provinces a National State of Disaster, and

(ii) As may be required in terms of Section 27(2) of the Act, will make regulations or issue directions or authorise the issue of directions concerning the matters listed in Section 27(3) of the Act, only to the extent that is necessary for the purpose of:

(a) Assisting and protecting the public

(b) Providing relief to the public

(c) Protecting property

(d) Preventing or combating disruption

(e) Dealing with destructive or other effects of disaster

Source: Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs