SA will remain on alert level 4 of the lockdown for another two weeks as government anticipates increased hospital admissions next week.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his address to the nation last night that the country had averaged "nearly 20,000 daily" positive infections in the past two weeks, with Gauteng accounting for more than half of all infections.
Ramaphosa, however, announced that there would be several relaxations in the restrictions in the next two weeks, which include allowing restaurants and gyms to reopen.
Schools will remain closed for an extra week and are now set to reopen on July 26.
He also revealed that agricultural and game auctions would also be allowed to take place.
The sale of alcohol remained prohibited for another two weeks, Ramaphosa announced.
The president said the infections were still too high, while more than 4,200 people lost their lives to Covid-19 in the past two weeks, alone.
"While Gauteng accounts for more than half of new infections, infections are rapidly increasing in the Western Cape, Limpopo, North West, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. Our health system countrywide remains under pressure," Ramaphosa said.
He said according to their projections by next week, "daily hospital admissions across the country are likely to reach the levels observed during the peak of the first two waves".
"Covid-19 related deaths in hospitals are also increasing, and have surpassed those observed at the peak of the first wave. Consequently, Cabinet, after consultation with the provinces, has decided to maintain the country at adjusted alert level 4 for another 14 days," Ramaphosa said.
Daily Covid-19 infections were last under 10,000 on June 21, while ever since they have been hovering between 12,000 and 26,000.
"Restaurants and eateries will be able to operate while observing strict health protocols. Such establishments may not accommodate more than 50 people at a time or, for smaller venues, more than 50% of their normal capacity," Ramaphosa said.
He said it was a known fact that coronavirus spread at funerals, office meetings, parties, family occasions, restaurants and taverns.
"That is why, at adjusted alert level 4, we have had to prohibit religious, social and political gatherings. We also know that as more people move, the virus moves with them," he said.
Ramaphosa said because of the relatively high numbers in Gauteng two weeks ago, they had decided to limit movement in and out of the province to slow the spread of the virus to other parts of the country.
"We know that curfews reduce movement and limit late-night social gatherings that increase the potential for transmission. We know that restrictions on alcohol sales reduce the number of admissions at hospitals and emergency rooms with alcohol-related trauma, such as motor vehicle accidents and interpersonal violence," Ramaphosa said.
He said reducing alcohol harm "frees up much-needed capacity in our health facilities to deal with Covid-19 cases".
On June 27 Ramaphosa had announced that the country would be placed on level 4 for two weeks.
Ramaphosa said vaccination would be ramped up and also addressed issues of vaccine hesitancy among South Africans.
"To date, over 4.2-million people in South Africa have received a vaccine dose, with 1-million of these having been done over the past seven weekdays. The pace of vaccination has more than doubled in the last month, and will continue to increase," he said.
Ramaphosa said about 190,000 people got vaccinated each weekday on average.
"Government and the private sector are working together in an unprecedent way to build additional capacity to vaccinate many more people a day," he said.
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