Eight million South Africans flocked to their workplaces as the country partially reopened its economy after a two-month coronavirus lockdown eased to Level 3 of restrictions on Monday.
However, a major player in the economy, the education sector, would have to wait until next week due to further preparations, President Cyril Ramaphosa said.
The president said this after his government made a last minute decision to reverse the decision to reopen schools – mainly Grades 7 and 12 to enable them complete the studies ahead of national exams.
Final year university students, included in the reopening plans, were also requested to wait until next Monday to return to their desks.
The president said his government agreed with parents, teachers and governing bodies’ complaints that no school should reopen until all necessary precautions were in place at the institutions.
He said the contribution of pupils, parents and teachers was welcomed and that steps would be taken to ensure each school had a safe learning environment by next week’s reopening.
Meanwhile, liquor shops had lines of patrons as early as dawn waiting outside for their reopening to buy alcohol in order to quench their “thirst” after two months of dry throats.
Alcohol sales were unbanned with Monday’s lockdown ease, leaving out cigarettes as the main benign vice still under lock – to the dismay of the smokers.
NM/jn/APA