SA court rules lockdown regulations unconstitutional

A South African court has found some coronavirus lockdown regulations imposed by the government “unconstitutional and invalid”.

The case was filed by a community group, Liberty Fighters Network, who challenged the government’s response measures announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The high court in the capital, Pretoria, ruled on Tuesday that “the regulations are not rationally connected to the objectives of slowing the rate of infection or limiting the spread thereof”.

It however suspended the judgement for 14 days to give government time to overhaul the regulations.

The cabinet has said it will “review, amend and republish the regulations” but that the measures will remain in place “for now”, according to a statement.

The country has some of the most stringent coronavirus containment measures in the world.

It eased a month-long lockdown on 1 May after dropping the alert level from level 5 to level 4, and to level 3 on 1 June.

Alcohol sales resumed this week following a two-month ban. All gatherings, except funerals and for work, are still banned.

Travel between provinces is also prohibited, and international flights are cancelled except for those repatriating citizens.

The country has the highest cases of coronavirus on the continent , about 30,000 confirmed so far and 700 deaths.