Africa News of Monday, 1 June 2020

Source: bbc.com

South Africans cheer and sing at alcohol shops

Alcohol Alcohol

Long queues have formed outside shops selling alcohol in South Africa as restrictions on its sale are lifted for the first time in two months.

Social media posts showed people cheering and clapping as buyers emerged clutching their bottles.

Some people said they had queued overnight.

The BBC's Vumani Mkhize tweeted some photos from the main city, Johannesburg:



Our reporter says people are banned from singing in churches, which are also reopening, but they were in full voice at one liquor store:



Alcohol-related violence is a big problem in South Africa - the ban was introduced to free up the police and hospitals to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Infection rates in South Africa still appear to be rising.

People are only allowed to buy alcohol for consumption at home and only from Monday to Thursday.