South Africa (S.A.) is getting ready to move to lockdown alert level 1 starting from midnight on Sunday, 20 September.

The nations President, Cyril Ramaphosa announced this during a live address to the nation on Wednesday evening when he said with respect to the consultations with provincial and local government representatives, and in obedience to the advice of scientists and engagements with various stakeholders, the cabinet has reached a decision that the country should move to alert level 1.

The State’s cabinet had last week approved the extension of the COVID-19 national state of disaster to 15 October. South Africa recorded about 12 000 new cases a day about two months ago when the country was at the peak of the pandemic but presently the country is on an average recording fewer than  2000 cases a day.

The president explained that the move to level 1 recognises that the levels of infection are quite low and that there is sufficient capacity in the country’s health system to handle the current need.

Under alert level 1 social, religious, political and other gathering will be allowed as long as the number of people does not exceed 50% of the normal capacity of a venue, up to a maximum of 250 people for indoor gathering and 500 people for outdoor gatherings.

However, health protocols, such as washing or sanitising of hands, social distancing and mask-wearing, must be strictly adhered to.