South Africa

South Africa’s first case of COVID-19 was discovered on 5 March — a traveller returned from Italy. The number of cases grew rapidly throughout March. The government imposed a nationwide lockdown beginning 27 March by which time there were 1,170 reported cases. Case growth slowed in April and the lockdown is scheduled to continue to the end of the month.

Key statistics

  • Confirmed cases

    11,350

  • Cases per 100,000 people

    19.31

  • Deaths

    206

  • Recovered cases

    4,357

  • Days since first case

    69

  • Days since 100 cases

    56

  • Days since highest daily increase

    1

These statistics were last updated for 15 May 2020 and are drawn from the Coronavirus COVID-19 Daily Cases dataset, published by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at John Hopkins University, via API by Laeyoung.

Government of South Africa COVID-19 policies

Last updated 1 May 2020

Healthcare

Medical products and medicines

27 April 2020
Limited the export of certain medical products
23 March 2020
Funded the import of essential medical products
23 March 2020
Established fund for public donations for COVID-19 relief measures
23 March 0202
Financed the import of essential medical products

Health services

21 April 2020
Increased health sector funding
13 April 2020
Asked municipalities to suspend cuts to water supply during lockdown.
09 April 2020
Established project to manufacture ventilators
23 March 2020
Centralised the treatment of severe COVID-19 cases in certain hospitals
18 March 2020
Prohibited people infected with COVID-19 from refusing treatment
23 January 2020
Distributed clinical information to medical professionals on how to diagnose and treat COVID-19

Testing and tracing

09 April 2020
Established dedicated centre to track screening, testing and hospitalisations
09 April 2020
Established mobile-phone based tracing system
09 April 2020
Further increased testing and screening
03 April 2020
Appointed judge to monitor database of COVID-19 patients
01 April 2020
Established mobile testing and sampling units
23 March 2020
Expanded testing and screening
16 March 2020
Introduced random testing on public transport
15 March 2020
Conducted retrospective testing of travellers who had arrived in South Africa from certain countries from mid-February
15 March 2020
Established a tracking, tracing, and monitoring system in partnership with the private sector
15 March 2020
Directed that contact tracing occur within 48 hours of travel
09 March 2020
Intensified screening at all ports of entry into South Africa

Healthcare workers

08 April 2020
Called on suppliers to provide personal protective equipment

Research

16 March 2020
Funded research on COVID-19

Movement of people

Physical distancing

23 April 2020
Established five-level COVID19 alert system
23 April 2020
Issued safe workplace guidlines for mining industry
23 April 2020
Announced move to alert level 4 from 1 May
16 April 2020
Relaxed some lockdown restrictions relating to certain essential goods
09 April 2020
Isolated COVID-19 patients who cannot self isolate at home in special facilities
09 April 2020
Relaxed requirements to access Unemployment Insurance Fund
09 April 2020
Extended nationwide lockdown to end of April
08 April 2020
Relaxed prohibition on the movement of children in shared custody between guardians
30 March 2020
Prohibited the movement of children in shared custody between guardians
28 March 2020
Increased inspections of employers reported to breach health and safety regulations
26 March 2020
Prohibited the sale of non-essential goods
25 March 2020
Banned all gatherings except funerals
23 March 2020
Required all people to stay at home unless performing essential services
21 March 2020
Limited sale of alcohol
19 March 2020
Suspended community registration outreach programmes and home visits to social security recipients
18 March 2020
Required restaurants, taverns and clubs to close or limit capacity to 50 persons
17 March 2020
Recommended that employers adopt government guidelines on COVID-19
15 March 2020
Suspended correctional facilities visits
15 March 2020
Closed all early childhood education, schools and higher education institutions
15 March 2020
Banned large gatherings and implemented other social distancing measures

Border measures

14 April 2020
Provided visa concessions to overstayers
25 March 2020
Suspended all international travel
23 March 2020
Banned arrivals of non residents and citizens from high risk countries
23 March 2020
Required South Africans returning from high risk countries to quarantine for 14 days
19 March 2020
Installed a border fence between South Africa and Zimbabwe
16 March 2020
Limited travel for staff and students of public higher education institutions
16 March 2020
Required aviation staff to use personal protective equipment
15 March 2020
Directed that contact tracing occur within 48 hours of travel
15 March 2020
Conducted retrospective testing of travellers who had arrived in South Africa from certain countries from mid-February
15 March 2020
Introduced a travel ban for certain foreign nationals and advised South Africans against travel to high risk regions
09 March 2020
Intensified screening at all ports of entry into South Africa
23 January 2020
Increased monitoring of international travelers arriving from Asia

Domestic travel

25 March 2020
Suspended rail and domestic flights
16 March 2020
Introduced random testing on public transport
16 March 2020
Limited travel for staff and students of public higher education institutions
15 March 2020
Advised South Africans against non-essential domestic travel

Citizens abroad

15 March 2020
Introduced a travel ban for certain foreign nationals and advised South Africans against travel to high risk regions
15 March 2020
Prohibited non-essential government-related travel outside of South Africa
27 February 2020
Repatriated South Africans from Wuhan City, China

Economy

Industry interventions

23 April 2020
Issued safe workplace guidlines for mining industry
21 April 2020
Announced second and third phases of economic response
16 April 2020
Allowed some mining and energy operations to continue
06 April 2020
Provided funding to small-scale farmers
25 March 2020
Reprioritised funds to the sports, arts and culture sectors
24 March 2020
Provided funding to the Land Bank to assist farmers
24 March 2020
Allowed agriculture and food supply sector to continue to operate
23 March 2020
Provided cash grants to small and medium enterprises in the tourism and hospitality sector
23 March 2020
Introduced stimulus package to support various industries
23 March 0202
Provided funding for working capital and equipment and machinery

Business support

21 April 2020
Announced second and third phases of economic response
21 April 2020
Established fund to protect and create jobs
21 April 2020
Established loan guarantee scheme for businesses
21 April 2020
Provided additional funding for small businesses
20 April 2020
Established relief fund for youth owned enterprises
18 April 2020
Established support scheme for informal convenience stores and general dealers
09 April 2020
Postponed loan repayments for small businesses
09 April 2020
Provided funding for debt relief for small businesses
28 March 2020
Streamlined approach to pay outs of unemployment insurance funds
23 March 2020
Relaxed tax rules for small to medium businesses
23 March 2020
Provided cash grants to distressed small to medium enterprises
23 March 2020
Exempted banks from competition laws to enable coordinated debt relief
17 March 2020
Provided special leave to employees who need to self-quarantine for 14 days
17 March 2020
Reduced required employer contributions to unemployment insurance fund

Financial markets and monetary policy

14 April 2020
Puchased additional government bonds in the secondary market
14 April 2020
Eased lending requirements for banks
14 April 2020
Issued guidance to reduce dividends and bonuses
14 April 2020
Reduced interest rates by a further 100 basis points
23 March 2020
Decreased the repo rate by 100 basis points

Government

Public information

23 April 2020
Established five-level COVID19 alert system
15 April 2020
Established process for monitoring and responded misinformation
17 March 2020
Banned COVID-19 disinformation

Emergency government

23 April 2020
Called up military reserves to assist with COVID-19 Response
23 April 2020
Announced move to alert level 4 from 1 May
23 April 2020
Established five-level COVID19 alert system
09 April 2020
Donated a portion of government ministers’ salaries to a solidarity fund.
03 April 2020
Appointed judge to monitor database of COVID-19 patients
23 March 2020
Established fund for public donations for COVID-19 relief measures
23 March 2020
Created special unit to investigate profiteering
19 March 2020
Postponed by-elections
17 March 2020
Suspended Parliament indefinitely
17 March 2020
Postponed presidential meeting with African Union Commissioners
15 March 2020
Declared National State of Disaster

International cooperation

14 April 2020
Provided visa concessions to overstayers

Education

08 April 2020
Launched education curriculum for TV and radio
15 March 2020
Closed all early childhood education, schools and higher education institutions

Public services

28 March 2020
Directed provinces to monitor vulnerable older people living alone
28 March 2020
Recruited more social service workers
28 March 2020
Increased reporting on the delivery of social services
16 March 2020
Improved water access and sanitation in rural areas, informal settlements and public areas

Policing and justice

25 March 2020
Limited court activities to urgent cases
23 March 2020
Deployed the military to assist police in enforcing lockdown measures
23 March 2020
Created special unit to investigate profiteering
17 March 2020
Criminalised the intentional exposure of others to COVID-19
17 March 2020
Restricted access to the courts
15 March 2020
Suspended correctional facilities visits

Households

Wage and income support

21 April 2020
Provided additional tax relief measures
21 April 2020
Established fund to protect and create jobs
21 April 2020
Announced second and third phases of economic response
21 April 2020
Increased social security payments
09 April 2020
Relaxed requirements to access Unemployment Insurance Fund
09 April 2020
Funded humanitarian relief for vulnerable households
28 March 2020
Streamlined approach to pay outs of unemployment insurance funds
25 March 2020
Increased income support payments
23 March 2020
Exempted banks from competition laws to enable coordinated debt relief
23 March 2020
Established fund for public donations for COVID-19 relief measures
23 March 2020
Provided tax subsidies to certain working people
17 March 2020
Provided special leave to employees who need to self-quarantine for 14 days
17 March 2020
Reduced required employer contributions to unemployment insurance fund
17 March 2020
Implemented Disaster Relief Fund

Food and necessities

21 April 2020
Allocated additional funds to municipalities for water, food and housing
21 April 2020
Provided food parcels
18 April 2020
Established support scheme for informal convenience stores and general dealers
16 April 2020
Relaxed some lockdown restrictions relating to certain essential goods
13 April 2020
Distributed food vouchers to waster reclaimers
13 April 2020
Asked municipalities to suspend cuts to water supply during lockdown.
06 April 2020
Provided funding to small-scale farmers
28 March 2020
Asked provinces provide food and accommodation to people working and living on the street
26 March 2020
Prohibited the sale of non-essential goods
24 March 2020
Provided funding to the Land Bank to assist farmers
24 March 2020
Allowed agriculture and food supply sector to continue to operate
24 March 2020
Monitored essential goods to prevent price gouging
18 March 2020
Required restaurants, taverns and clubs to close or limit capacity to 50 persons

Housing

21 April 2020
Allocated additional funds to municipalities for water, food and housing
13 April 2020
Suspended evictions during national lockdown
28 March 2020
Asked provinces provide food and accommodation to people working and living on the street

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