South Africans finally wave goodbye to face masks

That's according to the government gazette which last night published an amendment by Health Minister Joe Phaahla.

The minister repealed the Covid-19 restrictions that regulate mask-wearing, border checks and capacity limits at public events and gatherings. 

While these measures were lifted quietly, the move attracted wide public attention on social media. 

 READ: No outdoor masks, more allowed at stadiums as Covid regulations relaxed

It also comes ahead of a briefing by Phaahla scheduled to take place on Thursday morning. 

Phaahla wrote to provincial health MECs earlier this week, recommending that all coronavirus regulations be lifted as the country exits the fifth wave of the pandemic. 

Dr Jo Barnes, who an epidemiologist from Stellenbosch University, says the mask mandates brought the country an unexpected bonus over the last two years.

"We do lose a number of people to serious flu every year but has been down so the mask wearing in itself is not necessarily a bad thing. I understand it's an extra cost for some people and it's a bit of an irritation.  

"But it in essence harmless so I don’t think the mask-wearing in itself is such a big problem. It's just for many people what it stands for and that irritates them."