Debate rages over school closures, and still no sale of tobacco and alcohol allowed
Friday, March 27
Day 1 of lockdown level 5.
Friday, May 1
Day 1 of lockdown level 4.
Wednesday, May 13
E-commerce restrictions lifted but alcohol and tobacco sales banned.
Sunday, May 24
President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the nation.
Thursday, May 28
Co-operative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma announces changes to level 3 restrictions. Alcohol sales to resume but tobacco banned.
Monday, June 1
Day 1 of lockdown level 3.
Opening of schools postponed.
Long queues to buy alcohol.
Tuesday, June 2
Gauteng High Court rules in favour of Liberty Fighters Network’s challenge to lockdown regulations.
Thursday, June 4
Cabinet agrees to extend the State of Disaster to July 15.
Monday, June 8
Schools reopen for grades 7 and 12.
Limited domestic flights for business.
Wednesday, June 10
Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association brings case against the tobacco ban.
Wednesday, June 17
President Ramaphosa addresses the nation. Amendments to level 3 for personal care services, hotels and restaurants. He condemns rise of gender-based violence.
Thursday, June 18
Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago warns of economic downturn.
Wednesday, June 24
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s extraordinary supplementary Budget.
Thursday, June 25
Regulations for reopening of leisure activities. Travel only allowed within home province.
Monday, June 29
Restaurants reopen for sit-in service.
Dlamini Zuma is granted leave to appeal high court judgement setting aside lockdown regulations.
Wednesday, July 1
Gauteng High Court turns down application by One SA’s Mmusi Maimane for schools to remain closed.
Ramaphosa tells virtual imbizo: schools need to reopen.
Saturday, July 4
Day 100 of lockdown.
Monday, July 6
Grades R, 6 and 11 go back to school. High Court rules early childhood development (ECD) centres can reopen.
Amendments around sports activities.
One-third of SA’s Covid-19 patients admitted to hospital had at least one comorbidity such as obesity or asthma.
Tuesday July 7
Amendments for school return published with grades 3 and 10 back on July 20, grades 1 and 2 on July 27, grades 4 and 9 on August 17, and grades 5 and 8 on August 31. Media24 to lose five magazines and two newspapers.
Friday, July 10
Gauteng is new Covid-19 hot spot and premier David Makhura tests Covid-positive. Dlamini Zuma to challenge ruling against lockdown in Supreme Court of Appeal.
Sunday, July 12
President Ramaphosa addresses the nation.
Amended enhanced level 3 regulations include mandatory wearing of masks, immediate prohibition on sale of alcohol and a curfew from 9pm-4am.
Tuesday, July 14
Mmusi Maimane files application for leave to appeal the reopening of schools.
Wednesday, July 15
City of Tshwane to set up a field hospital at the Showgrounds.
Thursday, July 16
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula lets taxis increase capacity to 100% for local trips.
Saturday, July 18
Mkhize warns of lockdown fatigue; masks not being worn properly and poor social distancing while Covid-19 figures are rising.
Monday, July 20
Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe and Minister of Employment and Labour Thulas Nxesi admitted to hospital for treatment of Covid-19.
UCT’s second study on smoking in lockdown found prices have increased by 250% on the black market.
Tuesday, July 21
Labour Ministry announces extension to Covid-19 Ters relief payments in some sectors and tax relief extended to companies.
Restaurants protest with empty chairs and tables outside.
Wine farmers plan to go to court to try and overturn the ban on the sale of wine.
Thursday, July 23
Reserve Bank cuts repo rate by 25 basis points on expectations GDP will contract, investment decline and further job losses.
SA records highest single-day fatalities from Covid-19 as toll tops 6 000.
Ramaphosa addresses the nation. Public schools to close for four weeks, matrics will be back on August 3. School nutrition programme to continue.
Saturday, July 25
Health ministry reports Covid-19 cases have soared but Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre suggests South Africa is turning a corner. Minister Ebrahim Patel is latest cabinet minister to test positive for Covid-19. He is recovering at home.
A group calling itself #Smokers Unite SA sends memorandum to the president to end lockdown and allow the sale of tobacco and alcohol.
Monday, July 27
Congress of South African Students (Cosas) threatens to shut private schools. The IMF approves $4.3 billion (R71bn) loan to help South Africa mitigate the adverse social and economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Investigations into allegations involving President’s spokesperson Khusela Diko and Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku in tender irregularities in the Gauteng Department of Health tender awarded to King Madzikane II Diko.
Wednesday, July 29
The DA files papers in the High Court, Pretoria, challenging the legality of closing schools.
Thursday, July 30
Dlamini-Zuma says in court papers that government will re-evaluate the alcohol ban regularly as it wants to limit the hardships facing the economy and livelihoods during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Curfew to be extended to 10pm to assist restaurant sector and overnight stays allowed within one’s home province.
Latest figures:
National total:
Confirmed cases: 482 169
Deaths: 7 812
Gauteng total:
Confirmed cases: 171 574
Deaths: 1 932
Tshwane
Confirmed cases: 33 017
| Cases: 482 169 | Deaths: 7 812 |