South Africa will allow most economic sectors including mining and manufacturing to fully resume operations from next month as the country further eases coronavirus lockdown regulations, the government has announced.
Africa’s most industrialised economy has been largely shut since a nationwide lockdown began in late March. South Africa has reported 25,937 cases of the new coronavirus, with 552 deaths.
“This is the most significant reopening of the economy since the lockdown began…It opens up all of our core productive sectors from manufacturing to mining,” said Trade and Industry Minister, Ebrahim Patel.
Some high-risk businesses such as hotels, lodges, hair salons and sit-down facilities at restaurants will remain closed.
The government has permitted the sales of alcohol for home consumption from June.
Limited domestic air travel has also been permitted, a government statement said, adding that further details would follow.
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. With over 58 million people, it is the world’s 24th-most populous nation and covers an area of 1,221,037 kilometres (758,717 mi).
South Africa has three designated capital cities: executive Pretoria, judicial Bloemfontein and legislative Cape Town. The largest city is Johannesburg. About 80% of South Africans are of Bantu ancestry, divided among a variety of ethnic groups speaking different African languages.
The remaining population consists of Africa’s largest communities of European, Asian, Indian,[11] and multiracial ancestry.
It is bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) of coastline of Southern Africa stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini (former Swaziland); and it surrounds the enclaved country of Lesotho.
It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World or the Eastern Hemisphere, and the most populous country located entirely south of the equator.