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JOHANNESBURG. – President Cyril Ramaphosa last night kept South Africa on lockdown level 1 ahead of the long Easter weekend, albeit with a few changes pertaining to liquor sales.

Ramaphosa announced that offsite liquor sales will be banned from Good Friday until next Monday (Family Day),

“Just those four days,”  he said.

However, onsite sales of liquor at taverns, restaurants and similar remain permitted, in accordance with the establishment’s licence conditions and the curfew. The curfew remains in place and unchanged: midnight until 4am everyday.

Ramaphosa also addressed church leaders and followers’ concerns, many of whom feared that measures could be put in place to curtail their gathering and observing of the Christian holidays.

He announced that religious gatherings would be restricted to 250 people indoors and 500 outdoors, adding that smaller venues must remain within 50 percent of the allowed capacity.

“We continue to urge all South Africans to avoid gatherings if they are in a vulnerable group, such as the elderly and those with co-morbidities. We also urge that gatherings should take place in outdoor venues, which are significantly safer than gathering indoors.

“We will review these measures on the size of gatherings within the next 15 days based on an assessment on the state of the pandemic and the extent of compliance with health protocols,” Ramaphosa said.– Citizen.