Status: 07/26/2021 5:24 p.m.
Due to the falling number of infections, South Africa’s President Ramaphosa has announced that the corona restrictions in his country will be relaxed. The ban on the sale of alcohol was lifted and the curfew was shortened.
In view of the falling number of infections, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that most corona measures will be lifted. The ban on the sale of alcohol and restrictions on domestic travel and gatherings would be lifted, he said.
In a speech to the nation, Ramaphosa said the average number of confirmed new infections was about 12,000 over the past week, a 20 percent decrease from the previous week. The latest figures showed that the peak of the third wave of infections had largely been overcome.
Ban on alcohol lifted, curfew shortened
While the number of new infections in the most populous Gauteng province has decreased significantly, the situation in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces continues to give cause for concern, said Ramaphosa. The night curfew will remain in force given the situation, but will be limited to the time between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. The mask requirement in the country continues to apply.
From now on, shops are allowed to sell alcohol again from Monday to Thursday, and restaurants and bars are also allowed to offer alcoholic beverages. The schools are fully open again. Ramaphosa also announced the reintroduction of a monthly payment of 350 rand (about 20 euros) for the unemployed until March 2022. According to official figures, an estimated two million jobs were lost in the wake of the pandemic in South Africa last year.
A third of all infections on the continent
The President also promised a significant increase in the vaccination rate. From September 1st on, younger people aged 18 and over can also be vaccinated. Vaccinations are currently limited to people aged 35 and over. In the country of 60 million people, around 6.3 million vaccine doses have been administered so far. 2.3 million people have so far been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
South Africa is particularly hard hit by the corona pandemic. 2.3 million corona infections have been registered in the country since the beginning of the pandemic. At least 69,775 people died in South Africa.