Economics
South Africa Prepares to Gradually Reopen Hobbled Economy
- Lockdown Restrictions to be reduced in most areas by end-May
- Easing too quickly will cause infections to surge: Ramaphosa
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South Africa’s government announced plans to further ease a nationwide lockdown as the fallout from shuttering much of the economy threatens to outweigh the damage wrought by the coronavirus.
Consultations will begin in the coming days about moving most of country to disease alert level 3 by the end of the month, from level 4, and allow a number of additional industries to resume operations, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Wednesday in a televised address to the nation. Level 4 restrictions will remain in force in areas where infection rates are highest, including some of the main cities.