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President Cyril Ramaphosa announced some tighter restrictions as the country heads towards the third wave of coronavirus infections, placing the country on adjusted Alert Level 2 from Monday.
Addressing the country on Sunday night, Ramaphosa said several provinces, including Northern Cape, Gauteng, and Free State, have reached the threshold of the third wave.
He said as daily infections topped more than 3000, the Ministerial Advisory Committee had called for stricter measures to reduce the rate of infections.
The President said the severity of the third wave will be determined by the level of contact people have with each other, adding that gatherings were the greatest source of transmission.
The measures announced include tightening the curfew from 11 pm to 4 am while restaurants and bars must close at 10 pm to allow staff time to get home in time.
Ramaphosa said funerals remain restricted to 100 people, while so-called after-tears parties are prohibited. He also called on South Africans to limit their travel.
“Delaying the spread of the virus is especially important now to allow as many people as possible to be vaccinated be before the third wave peaks,” he said.
The President said it remained mandatory for every person to wear a face mask at all times in public, adding that it’s a criminal offence not to do so.
He also reminded South Africans who test positive for Covid19 to self-isolate at home for 10 days from when symptoms developed, adding that if a person who has been in contact with an infected person must also self-quarantine for 10 days following exposure.
Commenting on the President's announcement, DA MP, Siviwe Gwarube, said the country does not need tighter restrictions, but people need to be vaccinated.
She said while the party is not opposed to restrictions on gatherings, the government must also act on these.
Wendy Alberts, the CEO of the Restaurant Association of South Africa said the curfew times would impact the sector but remain grateful that business was not "rudely interrupted".
