South Africa will open up Covid-19 vaccinations to those aged between 18 and 35 years old from August 20 (Friday), the government said in a statement, as it tries to ramp up its immunisation drive.

Reuters reports that South Africa has recorded the most coronavirus infections and deaths on the African continent, but it has so far only fully vaccinated less than eight per cent of its 60 million population.

"As part of increasing the vaccination roll-out programme, Cabinet approved the vaccination of persons aged between 18 years and 35 years from August 20," the government said.

The government has set a target of reaching at least 300,000 Covid-19 vaccinations a day by the end of this month, but in the latest 24-hour period it managed just 195,000, according to a health department website.