South African President Cyril Ramaphosa tightened restrictions on alcohol sales, extended a night-time curfew and reduced the permitted attendance at public gatherings as the country grapples with a third wave of coronavirus infections.
Alcohol sales for offsite consumption will only be allowed from Monday to Thursday, a curb aimed at reducing pressure on hospital trauma wards, Ramaphosa said in a televised address to the nation Tuesday night. He moved the country to virus alert level 3 from level 2, reduced the maximum size of gatherings to 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors, and ordered people to remain home between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.
