South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday said a five-week nationwide coronavirus lockdown would start slowly "easing" next month.

"We have accordingly decided that beyond Thursday the 30th of April, we should begin a gradual and phased recovery," Ramaphosa said in a televised address to the nation. 

"We will implement what we call a risk-adjusted strategy through which we take a deliberate and cautious approach to the easing of current lockdown restrictions."