Author: Gugu Lourie

AngloGold Ashanti announced on Sunday that it has temporarily halted operations Mponeng Mine in the West Rand after 164 workers tested positive for COVID-19. “As a precautionary step, and after discussions with the regulator, operations at Mponeng Mine – which were running at 50% capacity – have been temporarily halted on a voluntary basis, to complete contact tracing and to again deep clean and sanitize the workplace and key infrastructure,” the company said in a statement. The company last week detected the first positive COVID-19 case at its Mponeng Mine. AngloGold Ashanti has conducted 650 tests since last Thursday, including…

The SMMEs Council is accusing JSE-listed Bidvest group of using its personal protective equipment (PPE) donations to township schools to position itself for future government contracts. The SMME Council is an independent membership-based organisation representing professional bodies, business associations and small business chambers with the purpose to advocate for transformation of the South African economy. It aims to create an environment in which small businesses in all sectors can thrive, expand and be competitive. It claims to be the only organisation tasked with ushering in a new dawn in business and industry, and the organisation represents small business interests without…

Innovative Stellenbosch-based start-up company Mellowcabs, which plans to change the face of transport in South Africa by rolling out the first eco-friendly metered transport system in the country, has been inundated with orders. The Sunday Times reports that Mellowcabs has been inundated with more than 100 new orders for its electric three-wheeled car. In just over two years, the start-up company has developed a last-mile delivery vehicle from a prototype to leasing up to 40 cars to local and international clients. Looking beyond South Africa, the company aims to be active in the global market shortly after launch. “We’re in…

The South African ban on alcohol sales is to be lifted but the prohibition on cigarette sales is to be extended if the draft level 3 plan is adopted by the National Command Council (NCC). The plan drafted by Co-operative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was tabled at the NCC. The Sunday Times reports that the issue of cigarette and alcohol sales split President Cyril Ramaphosa’s NCC down the middle. The government’s approach to the tobacco ban is said to be motivated by the belief that smokers would require ventilators more than anyone else should they contract COVID-19. An insider told…

South Africa is investigating the possibility of building a locally-produced communications satellite. The satellite is to support multi-modal, augmented remote learning systems. “As we try to find better ways to implement effective multi-modal, augmented remote learning systems, we are considering the use of Space Science and Earth Observation technologies and platforms in support of our plans to reach to vulnerable students,” Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation. “The Department of Science and Innovation, in conjunction with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, Sentech and South African National Space Agency, is currently looking at a long-term solution…

South Africa’s tertiary students will receive free data for the next three months and laptops to help them with online education during the lockdown. “We acknowledge that the cost of connectivity remains a huge barrier for students who want to use the digital learning mode as part of our multi-modal and remote learning,” Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, said on Saturday. “The department has successfully negotiated with all mobile network operators a favourable rates for NSFAS students, including the Funza Lushaka students, who will receive 10GB daytime and 20GB night-time data for three months, starting from…

Blood & Water, Netflix’s second original African series, is the first South African show to reach number 1 in the USA. Blood & Water is directed by one of South Africa’s most recognisable black female directors, award-winning Nosipho Dumisa (Best Director, Fantasia International Film Festival) and produced by Gambit Films led by Bradley Joshua and Benjamin Overmeyer as producers, with Daryne Joshua & Travis Taute as co-directors and writers and Simon Beesley as lead editor. ‘Blood & Water’ now holds the number one spot in the Top 10 in the USA on Netflix. It is the first South African…

An online petition calling for the removal of Cooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has been getting support from folks all over and is showing no signs of slowing. The ‘Remove Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma from Cabinet’ petition had garnered close to 70, 000 supporters by late on Friday. The petition on Change.org started by Caro-Lynn Wilson states that Dlamini-Zuma under the National Disaster Act is rewriting laws for her ‘own personal gain and power’. In it, Wilson says that Dlamini-Zuma is “stripping South African citizens of their human rights”. “Please let this petition show that we as South African citizens still have the…

A new Facebook group is planning a protest march against the tobacco ban imposed by the South African government. The group, known as “Protest March Against The Tobacco Ban” is planning a protest march on Tuesday, 26 May. The government has been warned and they have until Monday to do away with the tobacco ban. If not, the group will march to the gates of Parliament on Tuesday at 12:00, lockdown restrictions or not. “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Action speaks louder than words. We Need To Take A Stand. We Need To Do This For Our Country! Viva South Africa!” This…

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is trending on social media after it emerged that it has only paid ten people the R350 Social Relief Grant. More than 4,9 million people have applied for the new special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant. Speaking to SAFM on Friday, SASSA’s CEO Busisiwe Memela-Khambula confirmed that, as of 14:30 on 22 May, just ten people had been paid. “We did a test last week we paid about 10 people to make sure the system works.” SASSA started taking nationwide applications for the grant on 11 May 2020. SASSA boss told…