KIU, Main Campus - On Tuesday, 2nd June 2020, a South African High Court declared some of the government's Coronavirus lockdown regulations unconstitutional, but suspended the order for 14 days.

In March, South Africa introduced one of the world's most restrictive COVID-19 lockdowns - including a ban on alcohol and cigarette sales - but has gradually eased restrictions.

After a lawsuit filed by the Liberty Fighters Network advocacy group arguing that the restrictions were unlawful as they violated South Africa's Bill of Rights, the court declared rules governing certain lockdown levels to be "unconstitutional and invalid".

"The regulations...in a substantial number of instances are not rationally connected to the objectives of slowing the rate of infection or limiting the spread thereof. Insofar as the 'lockdown regulations' do not satisfy the 'rationality test', their encroachment on and limitation of rights... is not justifiable," the written judgement read.

However, since the effect of the court decision was suspended for 14 days, South Africa's cabinet resolved that the current lockdown regulations would remain in place.