The Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg is one of dozens of heritage attractions and art galleries in South Africa which have been forced to close their doors due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Reuters reports.

"We had to let go of all of the staff. About 30 people. There's no one here to turn the lights on and off," said the museum's director, Christopher Till.

With tourists absent due to the coronavirus and school visits, a major source of income, not happening because of restrictions, a number of other cultural institutions are suffering a similar fate. They include the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town, the Johannesburg Art Gallery, and Mandela's house in the township of Soweto.