Author: Gugu Lourie

British American Tobacco South Africa (BATSA) announced on Friday it is commencing urgent legal proceedings to challenge the government’s decision to extend the ban on tobacco sales during Level 3. BATSA is supported in this action by Japan Tobacco International (JTI) as well as groups and organisations representing the tobacco value chain across the country, including consumers, tobacco farmers and retailers. The company said in a statement it has made every effort to constructively engage with the government since the ban came into force, including making detailed submissions, along with other interested parties, to various Ministers, as well as directly…

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…

The sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products will remain prohibited during South Africa’s lockdown at level 3. But the country has lifted the ban on the sale of alcohol. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday evening during his address to the nation on developments in our country’s risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of COVID-19. Ramaphosa announced that South Africa will move to level 3 lockdown from June 1, 2020. “This will result in the opening of the economy and the removal of a number of restrictions on the movement of people, while significantly expanding and intensifying our public health…

South Africa will move to a level 3 lockdown on 1 June 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday evening. Ramaphosa was addressing South Africans on developments in our country’s risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of COVID-19. Lockdown Level 5 was introduced in South Africa on 26 March 2020. Monday marks 60 days since the lockdown began. “The implementation of alert level 3 from the beginning of June will involve the return to operation of most sectors of the economy, subject to observance of strict health protocols and social distancing rules,” said Ramaphosa. He added that over time, however,…

South African Breweries (SAB) on Sunday appealed to the government to consider allowing for reasonable trading hours of alcohol during a level 3 lockdown. President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation at 19h00 on developments in South Africa’s risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of COVID-19. The President’s address follows recent meetings of Cabinet, the National Coronavirus Command Council and the President’s Coordinating Council, which considered the prospects for the country’s progression from Alert Level 4 to Alert Level 3 of the national lockdown. Ahead of Ramaphosa’s address to the nation, SAB corporate affairs vice president Zoleka Lisa said in…

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…

Over 11 million South Africans do not have a bank account and, in lockdown, sending and receiving wages is logistically challenging. Many businesses have been forced to close, causing people to run out of cash. Hunger is now a more immediate threat than the virus. The payment needs of vulnerable individuals must quickly be met if widespread civil unrest is to be averted. 6DOT50 is stepping in with a new way to pay for essential goods, as COVID-19 takes its toll on the South African economy. As a platform focused on financial inclusion of unbanked and underbanked customers in emerging…