South Africa's Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Obed Bapela, has tested positive for COVID-19, the presidency announced on Saturday.

Bapela took the test after he developed symptoms related to the disease.

The presidency said the deputy minister had entered self-quarantine following the development, as per the country's COVID-19 regulations.

South Africa remains to be the hardest-hit African country by the COVID-19 pandemic, having reported 1,192,570 confirmed cases and 32,425 deaths.

Its caseload account for 40.42 of the continent's cases, while its fatalities represent 45.96 percent of the continent's virus-related deaths.

Bapela urged South Africans to play their part in the fight to stop further spread of the virus by continuing to observe all health protocols.