Religious leaders who met with President Cyril Ramaphosa and the national command council looking into the coronavirus outbreak threw their weight behind government's efforts to curb its spread.

The religious leaders met with Ramaphosa and minister's who are part of the command council behind close doors in Pretoria on Thursday morning. Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana of the South African Council of Churches said they promise to abide by the laws and restrictions imposed as part of the declaration of the national state of disaster.

Mpumlwala said the situation was far more extreme than in an actual war where bombs would have automatically kept people indoors.

"Let all of us South Africans hold hands, not physically, and make this happen. We are committed to it," Mpumplwana said.

Mpumlwana said it was crucial for churches to adhere to the new laws which were gazetted this week including the one about a maximum 100 people being allowed in a gathering.

"Churches that refuse to do this could face charges of life endangerment because that's what it is."

He said they now understand how important it was for a "certain threshold of infections is maintained" so that the state is able to keep the outbreak under control.

Other leaders from different religions also promised to give support and ensure that efforts introduced to fight the spread of the coronavirus succeed.