President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday oversaw the release of dozens of South Africans who had been in quarantine since returning from Wuhan in China earlier this month.

South Africa, which has the highest number of infections of any African country, was on Sunday observing the third day of its 21-day lockdown to halt the spread of the virus.

Ramaphosa went to a remote resort near Polokwane city in the northern Limpopo province for the release of the 114 South Africans who had been isolated since March 14 when they were evacuated from China.

The group had been working and studying in Wuhan, then the epicentre of the virus, which was placed under lockdown for more than two months after the novel coronavirus was first detected in December.

Ramaphosa ordered their repatriation late last month, responding to calls from their families.

They were all free of the deadly novel coronavirus on their return, but still quarantined.

Ramaphosa said the group -- having been under quarantine in Wuhan for 51 days and a further 14 days in South Africa -- were proof that lockdowns were the right strategy.

"You are the best campaigners for a lockdown because you more than anyone else have seen that a lockdown does work."

Meantime, the number of coronavirus infections climbed to 1,280 on Sunday, government statistics showed as the city of Cape Town recorded the country's first positive case in a township.

Local government administrators in Cape Town said a case had been detected in Khayelitsha, the city's largest township, where hundreds of thousands live in shacks.

An outbreak in the crowded townships where water and sanitation are problematic, could prove difficult to contain in the country which already has the highest number of infections in Africa.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize also reported the country's second death from coronavirus, a 74-year-old man who had skin cancer.

Ramaphosa has ordered the country's 57 million inhabitants to stay at home, deploying police and the military to enforce restrictions.

But authorities have often struggled to get people to comply.

"This lockdown must be taken seriously by our people," said President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday.

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