A South African government minister has apologised after a video of her complaining about measures introduced to curb the spread of the coronavirus was shared online.

"Stay at home if you can, I'm finding it difficult to stay at home. Virus just go away, we have a life to live," Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said in the video.

Several people on social media condemned Ms Zulu and suggested that she should be reprimanded.

Ms Zulu said her comments expressed the frustration of many South Africans:

"I am also frustrated with our current situation and how this epidemic continues to cripple our economy and our social system," News24 quoted her as saying in a statement.

The minister said that she did not mean to "undermine the severity of the virus", adding that she supported the measures introduced by the government to curb the spread.

South Africa has 240 confirmed cases of Covid-19.

Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of disaster, restricting travel, closing schools, banning mass gatherings and ordering bars to close or limit numbers to 50.