• Civil society organisations have urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to extend the moratorium on executing evictions. 
• Ramaphosa addressed the nation this week, announcing Cabinet had decided to terminate the national state of disaster. 
• The government put an immediate ban on evictions after the declaration of the national state of disaster. 

Civil society organisations have called for an extension of the moratorium on executing evictions following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement to terminate the national state of disaster.

More than 20 groups have written to Ramaphosa and the National Coronavirus Command Council to use empowering legislation to address the crisis of evictions and homelessness.

Ramaphosa addressed the nation this week, announcing Cabinet had decided to terminate the national state of disaster.

The groups calling for the moratorium include Ndifuna Ukwazi, Reclaim the City, Stellenbosch Backyarder Dwellers, the Tshisimani Centre for Activist Education and Women’s Legal Centre.

In a statement, the organisations said the president’s address to the nation was silent on what the state’s position was with respect to the moratorium.

“The last two years have been testament to the importance of the home in the preservation of human life. The reality is, the economic fallout of the pandemic will continue to pose a very real threat to hundreds of thousands of poor and working class families of losing the roof over their heads,” they added.

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The organisations warned if the government lifted the ban on evictions, the country would face a secondary crisis of foreclosures, evictions and homelessness in the wake of a global health crisis.

“We are deeply concerned about the continuing illegal evictions and demolitions as carried out by the government – including municipalities across the country – and private actors,” they said.