Friday, March 27
Day 1 of lockdown level 5.
Friday, May 1
Day 1 of lockdown level 4.
Sunday, May 24
President addresses the nation.
Monday, June 1
Day 1 of lockdown level 3. Schools opening postponed; queues to buy alcohol. Tobacco products still banned.
Thursday, June 4
State of Disaster extended to July 15.
Monday, June 8
Grades 7 and 12 back to school; domestic flights for business passengers.
Wednesday, June 10
Court case against tobacco ban.
Wednesday, June 17
President addresses the nation; announces advanced level 3.
Friday, June 19
Personal-care services can reopen.
Wednesday, June 24
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s extraordinary supplementary Budget.
Monday, June 29
Restaurants reopen for sit-in service.
Saturday, July 4
Day 100 of lockdown.
Monday, July 6
Grades R, 6 and 11 back at school. Early childhood development (ECD) centres can reopen.
Tuesday, July 7
Amendments for school return published (but this will change again).
Sunday, July 12
President addresses the nation. Further amendments to advanced level 3 lockdown regulations, include mandatory wearing of masks, prohibition on sale of alcohol and a curfew from 9pm-4am.
Thursday, July 16
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula announces that taxis can carry full load on local trips.
Monday, July 20
UCT’s smoking study finds prices have increased by 250% on the black market.
Tuesday, July 21
Restaurants protest alcohol ban with empty chairs and tables.
Thursday, July 23
President addresses the nation. SA records highest single-day fatalities from Covid-19 as toll surpasses 6 000. Public schools to close again.
Saturday, July 25
#Smokers Unite SA memo to allow alcohol and tobacco.
Monday, July 27
Investigations into claims presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko and Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku involved in PPE tender irregularities.
thursday, july 30
Curfew to be extended to 10pm; overnight stays allowed in home province.
Saturday, August 1
SA is the hardest-hit country in Africa, with 50% of reported cases.
Monday, August 3
Matrics go back to school. School year will end December 15, the day of the last matric exam.
Wednesday, August 5
Mboweni says trust has been broken by corruption claims.
Saturday, August 8
SA Covid-19 death toll tops 10 000.
Tuesday, August 11
Downward trend in Covid-19 cases, increase in recovery rate. Submissions made for move to level 2 lockdown.
Wednesday, August 12
Cosatu and the liquor industry propose a regulated lifting of alcohol ban. 2020 matric timetable released.
Friday, August 14
Drop in cases gives indication SA has reached the peak of the pandemic. Bheki Cele says crime dropped by 40% during the first three months of lockdown.
Saturday, August 15
President addresses the nation; extends State of Disaster to September 15. SA to move to level 2 of lockdown with restrictions relaxed but 10pm curfew stays.
Tuesday, August 18
Day 1 of lockdown level 2; cigarette and alcohol sales allowed with conditions. Family and social interactions in groups up to 10; gyms, parks, beaches, reserves, libraries, etc, can open; inter-provincial travel for leisure allowed. Weddings and other gatherings up to 50 people but no fans at sports matches and borders remain closed.
Monday, August 17
Update on regulations by NCCC ministers; Nksozana Dlamini Zuma urges responsible drinking and lambastes those who blamed her for the tobacco ban.
Sunday, August 23
Ramaphosa pens a letter to ANC about anger and disillusionment of public to reports of corruption in response to the pandemic, and calls for discipline, responsibility and action.
Monday, August 24
The last of the grades return to school and gyms open.
https://www.iol.co.za/pretoria-news/news/watch-emotional-tshwane-police-chief-echoes-concern-of-alcohol-problem-at-memorial-service-for-3-metro-cops-killed-in-crash-ca4a7a44-ff7b-4f70-8a9b-3c5529363bfeGovernment calls for responsible alcohol use after death of Tshwane metro officers in an alcohol-related accident.
Tuesday August 25
Rules gazetted for reopening of places of interest, and weddings. Basic Education minister Angie Motshekga launches “Woza Matrics”, a TV initiative to help the class of 2020 from September 1.
Wednesday, August 26
Unprecedented publication of list of all Covid-19 related government expenditure.
Thursday, August 27
Zweli Mkhize makes recommendations to Ministerial Advisory Committee public. To date, SA has 620k confirmed cases with 534k recoveries and 13 743 deaths. Gauteng is the province with the highest case load.