Ramaphosa, however, noted that liquor outlets will be allowed to sell alcohol for off-site consumption from Monday to Thursday during the hours of 9am to 5pm only.
The President said gyms and fitness centres will be permitted to reopen under appropriate restrictions and safety precautions to protect public health.
He added that travel between provinces will be allowed under Level 2.
“As we ease restrictions, it is necessary that some measures remain in place to limit transmission and protect our health capacity. Therefore, current restrictions on international travel will remain in place,” he said.
The President further said no gatherings of more than 50 people will be permitted which includes funerals and religious events, meanwhile spectators will not be permitted at sporting events.
He added that the curfew for South Africans will remain in place between the hours of 10pm and 4am.
“We continue to encourage people to stay at home if they can and, if possible, to work from home, especially if they are over the age of 60 or have underlying conditions,” he continued to say.
Ramaphosa also confirmed the extension of the national state of disaster.
“In order to keep the remaining restrictions in place and to maintain some of the essential elements of our health response, it is necessary that we extend the national state of disaster once again until 15 September 2020,” he said.
On Covid-19 cases in the country, he said the number of new Covid-19 cases dropped from a peak of over 12,000 a day to an average over the past week of around 5,000 a day over the last three weeks.
“The number of active cases is declining every day, and now stands at around 105,000. The virus appears to have peaked in several provinces, including the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng and possibly in KwaZulu-Natal.
“Fewer people are presenting with symptoms at our health facilities. We are also finding that fewer people are requiring admission in our hospitals and the demand for coronavirus tests has dropped,” he said.
As of Saturday, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases which currently stands at 583,653 with 11,667 people losing their to the virus.
The President said the recovery rate had risen from 48% and now stands at an incredible 80%.
