A group of 27 social justice organisations has issued an urgent call for a moratorium on evictions during the Covid-19 state of disaster, raising concerns that evictions would lead to “displacement and homelessness” as the virus spreads across the country.

Last Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster following an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in the country. As of Saturday, the total number of cases in South Africa stood at 202.

The letter from the group of social justice movements was addressed to the Presidency’s Covid-19 national command council, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, the Office of the Chief Justice and the SA Board of Sheriffs. Other ministers listed in the letter were that of home affairs, human settlements, rural development and land reform, and police.

“Those facing evictions have an added layer of vulnerability to the health risks posed by Covid-19 where eviction would lead to homelessness,” the groups said.

“Urgent attention must be given to those who have nowhere else to go; those facing life on the streets and those in emergency alternative accommodation living in conditions that could foster the spread of Covid-19.”

The groups said a moratorium on evictions would follow examples set by New York State, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Spain and other cities and states around the world in response to Covid-19.

They said that the national command council had the authority to place a moratorium on evictions because of the powers granted to it as a result of the declaration of a state of disaster.

In terms of the law, the relevant ministers are empowered to “take any other steps that may be necessary to address, prevent an escalation of the national state of disaster, or to alleviate, contain and minimise the effects of the national state of disaster”.

Source: News24