Deconfinement in South Africa: lifting of curfew and reopening of shops

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The government has decided, from Monday, to further relax its containment measures. The country goes to level 3 health alert, to allow a breathless economy to revive. Despite the progression of the epidemic, measures such as the lifting of the curfew or the reopening of most businesses are now applied.

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With our correspondent in Johannesburg ,  Claire Bargelès

The government was forced to give in on several fronts to allow economic activity to resume. With this new reduction in measures, almost eight million more people have returned to their workplace.

However, the infection rate is accelerating , and the country now counts more than 30,000 positive cases. But President Cyril Ramaphosa did not really have a choice, when the central bank forecasts a slowdown in activity of 7% this year, and that experts envisage a loss of several million jobs. We therefore observe a virtual return to normal in the streets of big cities, with a certain relaxation of the rules of social distancing, but a wearing of the mask rather respected.

The new directives also allow from today the reopening of places of worship, with a limit of 50 worshipers, or the resumption of internal air connections, for travel related to work. But the measure that everyone has been waiting for is the lifting of the ban on the sale of alcohol, which has been in place for two months. Liquor stores saw lines forming this morning, with residents eager to stock up.

Some schools still closed

However, the reopening of the schools did not go as planned. Some classes were normally scheduled to accommodate students on Monday. But last night, at the last moment, the government backed down, agreeing with the unions who felt that the establishments lacked preparation.

This reopening is therefore postponed for a week, creating confusion for parents and teachers. Especially since the Western Cape region, held by the opposition, and which nevertheless has a record rate of infections, has for its part decided to stick to the initial plan.

The different levels of restrictions are subject to change depending on the evolution of the pandemic. Experts expect South Africa to experience the peak of the epidemic between July and September.

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• South Africa
• Coronavirus
• Confinement

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