Author: Gugu Lourie

You can now check on the status of your application for a special R350 COVID-19 grant, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) revealed on Friday. SASSA disclosed on its official Twitter page that its online status check for the special R350 COVID-19 grant is live. The new function allows potential recipients to check the status of their applications for the unemployment grant. To check your status you need an ID number and cellphone number. Our online status check is live. Click on or copy and paste this URL on your browser https://t.co/kvuCPU6xoY to check progress on your COVID-19 SRD…

Retailer Pepkor, previously Steinhoff Africa Retail, continues to report strong growth from its financial technology (FinTech) services. The company, which is a subsidiary of JSE-listed Steinhoff, owns clothing retailers Pep and Ackermans, furniture stores such as Bradlows, Russells and Incredible Connection. In 2014, Christo Wiese sold Pepkor to Steinhoff International in exchange for about 20% of Steinhoff’s issued shares. Pepkor disclosed on Friday that its FinTech business delivered a 36.4% rise in revenue to R4.3 billion in the six months ended-March 2020. The company operates its FinTech division through FLASH and Capfin. The FinTech segment also maintained its operating profit at R200…

Smokers, who are frustrated by the continued prohibition of tobacco products, should be patient, President Cyril Ramaphosa said in an exclusive late-night interview with SABC on Thursday. “We are not permanently going to be on level 3,” he explained. “We are going to migrate to another level, even those who are hankering for tobacco, they must know that it is only a matter of time before their hankering is assuaged or addressed.” 84 days have lapsed since the first reported case of COVID-19 on our shores. South Africa is moving to level 3 lockdown on Monday. But the sale of…

Workplace gatherings for work purposes will be permitted under strict conditions during level 3 lockdown, said Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. Conditions for workplace gatherings observance of health, hygiene observance of social distancing protocols. Employers must ensure that the 1.5 metres distance is maintained amongst employees. ”We will have to limit the number of people in the workplaces, so that we minimise the chance of infection,” said Dlamini-Zuma. Limited Domestic Travel In order to ensure smooth movement of employees and as a measure to carefully and gradually open our economy we will also permit a limited domestic…

The sale of liquor in licensed premises will now be permitted as of the 1st of June 2020, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said on Thursday. Alcohol sales were prohibited for 66 days. She said alcohol will be sold for a limited period between Mondays and Thursdays from 09h00 and 17h00. However, onsite consumption is prohibited, and e commerce sales will be permitted subject to the same onsite trade days and times. Furthermore, there will be no special or events liquor licenses will be issued for the duration of the state of national disaster. Sale of…

The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) has entered into a partnership with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to host a Deep Space Ground Station in South Africa. The partnerships has been approved by the South African cabinet. The station, which will be based in Matjiesfontein in the Western Cape, will support human spaceflight missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond. ”It will be integrated into an existing network of three sites in the United States of America, Spain and Australia. As the fourth site, it will complement the other three sites and provide improved coverage and redundancy…

Two security guards who work for controversial pastor Sheperd Bushiri were arrested on Monday at around 10am for alleged murder and attempted murder, said police in Gauteng. Gauteng police spokesperson Kay Makhubele said the two suspects were arrested after a man and his friend were attacked on the R55 in Midrand. “The man led the police to the scene of crime where the body of his friend was recovered. It is alleged that the two friends were attacked by four security guards, who accused them of people who stole from Pastor (Sheperd) Bushiri’s church in Midrand,” said Makhubele. Makhubele added…

AngloGold Ashanti announced on Monday that its Mponeng Mine in the West Rand has recorded an extra 32 positive cases of COVID-19. The mining group announced on Saturday that it has temporarily halted operations at Mponeng Mine after 164 workers tested positive for COVID-19. The full processing of tests from the COVID-19 testing initiative at its Mponeng Mine is now complete, with 651 tests completed and processed, yielding 196 positive cases, said AngloGold Ashanti. The company last week detected the first positive COVID-19 case at its Mponeng Mine. Operations at Mponeng Mine continue to be voluntarily suspended to enable contact tracing,…

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has made a commitment to pay 100 000 people this week their R350 Social Relief Grant and more payments to follow once the vetting process has been completed. More than 4,9 million people have applied for the new special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant. Speaking to Kaya Breakfast on Monday, SASSA’s CEO Busisiwe Memela-Khambula said: “In the coming week, we will pay 100 000 people” their R350 Social Relief Grant. SASSA started taking nationwide applications for the grant on 11 May 2020 and promised to make the first payment on 15…

Minibus taxi financier Bridge Taxi Finance announced on Monday that it is providing financial relief to taxi drivers and owners in the form of a R175 million cash injection directly into their clients’ pockets. With the support of its holding company Mokoro Holdings and shareholders, Bridge Taxi Finance has taken the bold decision to settle 50% of its clients’ monthly finance instalments on their behalf throughout the lockdown period. Rather than offer clients the false assistance of a so-called payment holiday, which would increase their indebtedness after the COVID-19 lockdown, Bridge Taxi Finance said it is ensuring that its clients…