Ramaphosa vows to address nation 'soon' amid lockdown uncertainty

This comes amid some backlash on this week's decision to extend the national state of disaster for another month, despite a previous announcement that the February extension would be the last.

The Covid-19 lockdown regulations have been in place for two years.

During a Q&A at the National Assembly, sitting in the Good Hope Chamber on Thursday, Ramaphosa hit back at opposition parties lamenting his administration for keeping the regulations in force for too long.

Ramaphosa reaffirmed the country's readiness to lift the remaining restrictions but said he wouldn't be pressured into making any haste decisions.

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"I want to see the state of disaster coming to an end, but I'm not going to be reckless. I am going to be orderly," he told MPs.

"In days, I am going to address the nation and explain precisely where we are headed to and how we should traverse his new route that we are going on."

Once the state of disaster is done away with, the country is expected to rely on alternative measures to respond to the pandemic.

"The health regulations have been published and there are processes that we are engaged in. We are engaging with various leaders. We have met traditional leaders, we have met religious leaders, talking precisely about this," he added.

On Wednesday, South Africans were invited to give their input on the make-up of the proposed health regulations after the Department of Health published the proposed regulations.

Some of the proposed regulations will include measures put in place at the country's ports of entry.