Author: Gugu Lourie

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) paid 116 867 people their R350 Social Relief Grant. The Government Communications and Information System (GCIS) announced on Monday on its Twitter page: #SASSACares #SocialReliefGrant @OfficialSASSA has kept the promise to pay at least 100 000 clients who applied for the Special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress. By 31 May 2020, 116 867 clients were paid for the Special COVID-19 SRD Grant. — GCIS Media Liaison (@GCISMedia) June 1, 2020 However, GCIS seems to have forgotten to inform the millions of frustrated jobless people who have applied when they should expect their money…

While everything was locked down, daring thieves dug a tunnel and stole huge amounts of booze from a Shoprite Liquorshop in Newtown Junction, Johannesburg. Liquor sales had been banned during level five and four of the COVID-19 lockdown. That is when the thieves struck and made off with an assortment of booze that included whiskey, brandy, gin, ciders, vodka and beer worth about R300,000. The theft which involved boring through a concrete floor was only discovered on Friday because liquor outlets had been shut since the lockdown began at the end of March. A manager of the liquorshop was shocked to…

President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday that no school should re-open until all necessary precautions are in place. As part of the staggered approach, grades 7 and 12 were expected to return to school today. This week, teacher unions and national governing body associations called on Motshekga to urgently postpone the reopening of schools on Monday, warning that the move will only perpetuate inequalities at schools across the country. In a joint statement, the unions have raised a number of concerns, including that most provincial departments have reported that schools have not been cleaned and disinfected and that educators need…

Telkom unveiled its Big Deal for June 2020, which will enable you to enjoy nonstop, superfast internet connectivity. Uncapped LTE Business Hours is a SIM-only deal. The deal includes the following: Uncapped LTE (Business hours 00h00 – 17h00) 24-month contract Free installation R399 per month “This means that between 00h00 and 17h00 you can enjoy nonstop, superfast internet connectivity, so you can smash those work goals without busting your budget.” You can place your order in three ways: Telkom shop Call 10213 Order online

iiDENTIFii, South Africa’s digital identity artificial intelligence company, announced on Sunday it has expanded its platform onto the Microsoft Azure cloud. iiDENTIFii provides a secure and user-friendly technology platform that authenticates physical identities in a connected world. They are on a mission to stop identity fraud by making seamless identity authentication accessible to everyone, everywhere, on any mobile device. The exponential rate at which iiDENTIFii is growing has allowed for their platform to be deployed across a multi-hosted global infrastructure within a matter of months. This locally based, innovative, artificial intelligence company which is focused on the augmentation of online…

Basic education minister Angie Motshekga‘s media briefing scheduled for today,31 May at 18h00 has been rescheduled to tomorrow due to the Minister being engaged in further consultations on the readiness for the reopening of schools. UPDATE: The media briefing by the Minister of Basic Education,Angie Motshekga scheduled for today,31 May at 18h00 has been rescheduled to tomorrow due to the Minister being engaged in further consultations onthe readiness for the reopening of schools #schoolreopening #COVID19inSA — GCIS Media Liaison (@GCISMedia) May 31, 2020 Initial statement below MEDIA ALERT: Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga will brief the media to provide…

The African National Congress (ANC) is proposing using private pension savings and direct financial interventions to revive South Africa’s economy after the COVID-19 crisis, according to a report in the Sunday Times. According a ANC document on economic reconstruction leaked to the Sunday Time, the ruling party proposes to use direct financial interventions by the state pension fund, the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) and the Reserve Bank to “fund long-term infrastructure and capital projects” to help revive the economy. The document proposes more state interventions such as speeding up the creation of a state-owned bank and state-owned pharmaceutical company. The asset…

Basic education minister Angie Motshekga‘s plans to partially reopen schools from tomorrow are in serious doubt, according to a report in the Sunday Times. As part of the staggered approach, the grades 7 and 12 are expected to return to school tomorrow. This week, teacher unions and national governing body associations called on Motshekga to urgently postpone the reopening of schools on Monday, warning that the move will only perpetuate inequalities at schools across the country. In a joint statement, the unions have raised a number of concerns, including that most provincial departments have reported that schools have not been cleaned…

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) was not ready to operate from 1 June, Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula said on Saturday. “When we presented Level 4 Directions, we indicated that commuter rail will resume operations gradually on an incremental basis, based on detailed plans submitted by operators,” said Mbalula. He added that the Gautrain resumed its operations at the beginning of May 2020 and as on 1 June 2020, it will resume the airport service. PRASA  is not ready to resume “Through our ongoing engagements and evaluation of PRASA’s state of readiness to resume operations, we have…

As soon as President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the R350 COVID-19 grant for the jobless, doubts were raised? How would the government with a poor track record of efficiency pay these millions of jobless people? For more read: Is The R350 COVID-19 Special Grant For The Jobless A Mess In The Making? Many of the jobless are hungry. They live on the streets or in cramped conditions and the promised relief under the hard lockdown was like manna from heaven – except for many it still hasn’t fallen to the ground. Caught up in the excitement of being useful, the Ministry…