The South African Ministry of Health has removed all legal anti-covid-19 rules including the mandatory wearing of face masks in any location, according to a official publicationon Wednesday night, signed by the Minister, Joe Phaahla.

Until this latest repeal of the South African covid-19 regulation, wearing masks was mandatory in enclosed public spaces and passenger transport.

"I, Mathume Joseph Phaahla, Minister of Health, hereby revoke Regulations 16A, 16B and 16C of the Regulations Relating to the Surveillance and Control of Notifiable Medical Conditions...in their entirety," the two-paragraph notice reads.

Phaahla's decision was made after a meeting of the National Coronavirus Control Board, which considered whether the remaining covid-19 regulations were still relevant.

"The repeal of the regulations in question will take effect upon publication in the Official Gazette." Despite this, some South African sectors recommend maintaining the mandatory wearing of masks in places such as hospitals.

Health Minister Joe Phaahla and Presidency Minister Mondli Gungubele are expected to hold a live statement to the nation today at 11am.

Earlier this week, Minister Phaahla had already suggested that the restrictions be dropped after the decline in hospitalizations and reported cases. Phaahla also called for the mandatory border testing to be removed.

The official advanced the following reasons: the decline in the number of reported cases, as well as in hospitalizations or hospitalizations; the drop to less than 0.7% in the effective reproduction rate of the virus; and the reduction in the number of deaths.

Experience in other countries suggests that most people will stop wearing masks the moment the legal obligation to do so ends.

South Africa on Tuesday reported 1,087 new cases of covid-19, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3,987,979.

This increase represents a 7.8% positivity rate, according to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases.

In addition, the National Health Department reported 20 deaths and of these, three deaths occurred within the last 24 to 48 hours.

Cumulative kills per covid-19 are 101,640 so far. The cumulative number of recoveries is now 3,872,768, with a recovery rate of 97.1%.