News Desk
The government of South Africa has extended curfew and a ban on all alcohol sales ahead of New Year celebrations.
According to media reports, the government has introduced a set of stringent measures to curb a spike in new Covid19 infections.
The South African President, President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a Twitter post on Monday that the New Year’s Eve is typically a time of festivity, but there is little cause for celebration this year. He announced the raft of new restrictions, scheduled to take effect at midnight.
People across the country will be required to wear masks in public places under ‘Alert Level 3,’ as well as to avoid any enclosed or crowded public areas. Employers, venue owners and public transport operators were also ordered to ensure that their employees, visitors and passengers are wearing masks.
The Soeth African government also banned all alcohol sales in retail outlets, closed bars and prohibited the consumption of alcohol in all public places, including parks and beaches. A night-time curfew was extended by an additional four hours, and is now in effect from 9pm to 6am.
Several regions were declared infection hotspots including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and several coastal areas. The government imposed some additional restrictions, like the closure of all beaches and public swimming pools in these areas.
The total number of confirmed cases have surpassed one million in South Africa, with over 27,000 deaths, according to official figures.
