This archive report was first published on 25 May 2020.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the easing of the lockdown on Sunday, citing a significant shift in the country's approach to the pandemic.
South Africa enforced a level-five lockdown on March 27 and eased it to level four on May 1, allowing certain businesses to reopen and limited movement of people.
However, with up to eight million people returning to work, the implementation of alert level three will involve the return to operation for most sectors of the economy, subject to observance of strict health protocols and social distancing rules.
Despite the easing of some restrictions, President Ramaphosa emphasized that the threat posed by the coronavirus has not passed and that the fight against the disease is far from over.
South Africa has recorded 22,583 confirmed Covid-19 cases, up by 1,240 from Saturday, the highest daily surge since March 5 when the country reported its first case.
