South Africa to further ease lockdown

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the country’s coronavirus lockdown measures will be slightly eased in the coming days, with more businesses and shops allowed to open and fewer restrictions on exercise. 

In a live broadcast on Wednesday, President Ramaphosa admitted that his government had made mistakes but said that the country was in uncharted territory.

Had it not been for the near-eight-week lockdown, he said, at least 80,000 people could have contracted the virus.

As it stands, South Africa is the worst affected country on the continent, with about 12,000 confirmed cases and 219 deaths. 

Mr Ramaphosa has urged citizens to be cautious, saying that if restrictions are lifted too abruptly there could be a risk of a rapid and unmanageable spike in infections.

Photo: AFP