In a TV interview with SABC News on Tuesday, Guterres said while he understood the frustrations expressed by those demanding an immediate reopening of the economy, he believed steps taken by Ramaphosa were correct.

“One thing is clear – there is no real contradiction between measures taken to prevent the disease and economic recovery. If we let the disease spread, no economic recovery will be possible,” Guterres said.

In total 286 people have died of Covid-19 in South Africa, while 16 433 have been infected.

More than 4 million people across the globe have contracted the coronavirus.

“I hope the population will have patience and I hope the government will progressively find the ways to, in a very smart and targeted way, progressively re-open society and the economy to minimise the social and economic impact of Covid,” the UN secretary general said.

On Monday, in his address to the 73rd World Health Assembly, Ramaphosa called for global solidarity in a bid to fight the pandemic.

He warned that Covid-19 amplified already dangerous and growing inequalities within and between different countries.

Guterres, who said he was also separated from his family due to a semi-lockdown, called on South Africans to be patient.

He added that the SA government showed lots of determination in addressing the pandemic.

The UN chief said it had always been obvious that South Africa would be vulnerable to Covid-19, as it had great movement of people in and out of the country and had been seen as a “magnet” for other African states.

News24