South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a further easing of coronavirus restrictions from next month in a move that will allow most sectors of the economy to reopen fully under "strict health protocols" and "social distancing rules".

Ramaphosa said in a televised address on Sunday the cabinet has decided to move the country to "level three" of its five-level approach to easing the coronavirus lockdown from June 1.

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"This will result in the opening up of the economy and the removal of a number of restrictions on the movement of people while significantly expanding ... our public health interventions," said the president, who has been under pressure from rival political parties and a variety of industries to relax the curbs.

Africa's most industrialised economy has been largely shut down since late March when the government enforced some of the world's strictest restrictions in an attempt to try and stem the spread of the coronavirus which has so far infected 22,583 people and killed 429 in the country.

Ramaphosa initially enjoyed broad support for the lockdown, which confined most people to their homes aside from essential trips. But that has since given way to concerns about the measures' effect on an already shrinking economy and on a mostly poor population.

Source: Aljazeera.