From midnight on Thursday, there shall be no movement of goods or people that are non-essential.

In addition there will be no walking of dogs as well as jogging, and the sale of alcohol will be prohibited.

All hotels, parks, churches, beaches , theatres, movie cinemas and flea markets would also be shutdown.

These are some of the measures that the government has undertaken to fight the spread of the coronavirus that has to date affected at least 709 people.

Movement in the country, as the nation-wide lockdown is implemented, will be limited to the very minimal.

Addressing the media in Pretoria on Wednesday, where the justice, safety and security cluster detailed how the lockdown would be conducted, SA national defence force minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said that the limitation of movement was not meant to punish citizens but to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Taxis and e-hailing services will only be permitted to operate from 5am to 9am and from 4pm to 8pm where they will only be allowed to transport workers declared to be essential.

All aviation transportation excluding of cargo and all trains including Gautain will cease to operate during the lockdown, transport minister Fikile Mbalula said.

The police along with the SA national defence force will be deployed across the country where they would conduct roadblocks and searches where they would check for various things including permits to be on the streets.

These are some of the measures that the government has undertaken to fight the spread of the coronavirus that has to date affected at least 709 people.

Speaking in Pretoria where the justice, safety and security cluster was detailing how the lockdown would be conducted, SA national defence force minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said that the limitation of movement was not meant to punish citizens but to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Police minister Bheki Cele said that during this time, alcohol consumption would only be limited to indoors and should someone be found to be in possession of alcoholic beverage after midnight on Thursday, they would be charged.

“On-consumption premises including taverns, shebeens, shisanyama where liquor is sold, this time you are not buying liquor between 9am and 6pm, you shall not buy liquor,” Cele said.

“Off-consumption premises including bottle stores where liquor is sold [will be lclosed]. Off-consumption areas in supermarkets where liquor is sold, when you go to these supermarkets there are portions that sell liquor, they shall not. If we find anybody coming out there with liquor, ingozi yodwa [problems only].”

All restaurants will be closed for the next 21 days and people would only be allowed to buy food at the supermarkets that will remain operational that they can cook at their houses.

Cele said that inebriation was a major contributor to overcrowding at hospitals and that the decision to completely stop the sale of alcohol would be of great help.

“Restaurants shall not operate. There shall be no food at restaurants. You buy food from these outlets and go and cook [at] home,” he said.

“So there is no need to move around. There was a little bit of a story earlier on that you can walk your dog, there shall be no dogs that will be walked. The cluster met, discussed and we agreed that it doesn’t enhance the call made by the president. If you really want to walk your dog [do it] around your house.”​