Author: Staff Writer

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Freedom Day celebrations will be marked using online platforms, says the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture. “Freedom Day, as South Africans know it, is very different this year… The COVID-19… pandemic has changed things… [from] the norm,”  said the department ahead of Freedom Day on 27 April. The department reminded South Africans that under the current lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the virus, gatherings are prohibited. “The theme for this year’s Freedom Month celebrations is solidarity and the triumph of the human spirit in these challenging times. President Cyril Ramaphosa…

Police Minister Bheki Cele has urged religious leaders and congregants to stay at home as the country continues to observe the COVID-19 lockdown. The Minister’s comments follow a video clip that surfaced on Twitter depicting the arrest of 17 congregants, who had allegedly gathered for prayer in Pretoria West on Friday. The Ministry in a statement said the congregants were in direct violation of the COVID-19 Disaster Management Lockdown Regulations. Cele also condemned a video clip making rounds on social media of a man calling “all Muslims to engage in worship in the congregation”. According to the Ministry, the same…

As South African parents wait to hear what will become of this school year from Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga tomorrow, a major concern for most of them will be the fear of their children contracting the disease once back at school. The outbreak of COVID-19 led to the early closure of schools during the first term. To curb the spread of COVID-19, the country imposed a 21-day lockdown that has since been extended by two weeks to the end of April. “The data we have from China shows that this disease is quite mild in children, and actually very…

South Africans, who are suffering the aftermath of the national lockdown implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19, are gatvol. This is according to research done by Victory Research for City Press. To curb the spread of COVID-19, the country imposed a 21-day lockdown that has since been extended by two weeks to the end of April. However, on Thursday President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a five-level plan to ease lockdowns and a R500 billion stimulus package. The report by Victory Research revealed that while “strong” support for the lockdown was at 77% when the measure was initially announced on March…

Bank Zero, a start-up by mostly former First National Bank (FNB) staffers chaired by venture capitalist Michael Jordaan, is planning a mid-2020 controlled launch. The digital bank had initially planned to launch eight months ago. Today, Bank Zero – which is set to compete with fellow newcomers TymeBank and Discovery Bank – revealed to the Sunday Times that it is “really not focused on any competitor out there” but “rather the team is building a great mobile customer experience with a range of globally unique features.” “So, the focus is on customers, including businesses, not on competitors,” said Jordan. In…

A call has been made for South Africans to support locally made products as part of efforts to jump-start the economy in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. South Africa is preparing to move to level 4 of a nationwide lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 which has gripped the entire world. Speaking at a media briefing detailing how the country intends to move from the current level 5 lockdown which is expected to end at the end of April, Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel made the call for citizens to buy locally. “When we as…

About 1.5 million more South Africans will from 1 May return to work as the government begins to lift a fraction of COVID-19 lockdown regulations. This comes as the government gradually eases the economy back into activity, as announced this week by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The regulations were introduced last month as the government sought to counter the spread in the country. About 3, 400 South Africans have contracted the virus, while about 70 have died. Trade, Industry and Commission Minister Ebrahim Patel presented the details contained in the Risk-Adjusted Strategy, which is out for public comment and consultation. During…

With the COVID-19 outbreak in South Africa projected to peak around August, Gauteng – the country’s epicentre with 1 252 cases to date – is leaving no stone unturned in its preparations to fight the scourge. On Friday, President Cyril Ramaphosa paid a visit to the sites identified as COVID-19 facilities in Gauteng. These include the quarantine facility at the Nasrec Expo Centre, Johannesburg Central Food Bank and Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital. The President expressed confidence in the province’s efforts to ramp up its hospital bed capacity, screening efforts and measures to mitigate the socio-economic blow of the virus on…

Over the next month, the state will shift its response to the COVID-19 pandemic by preserving the economy, developing immediate recovery plans and pivoting the economy in a position of growth. This was revealed by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni on Friday during a press briefing in which he outlined a R500 billion economic support package. The package was initially unveiled by President Cyril Ramaphosa during an address to the nation on Tuesday. In May, the government will focus on three phases. The first phase, which the state is currently in, aims to preserve the country’s economy. “It is designed to…

As of today, there are 318 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 in South Africa, bringing the total number of cases to 3953. Today we regrettably report 10 new deaths. This brings the total to 75. The new deaths are from the following provinces: Western Cape: 6 KZN: 2 Gauteng: 1 Eastern Cape: 1  “We convey our condolences to the families and friends. Preventing COVID-19 from spreading is everybody’s job.” As of Thursday, the Western Cape surpassed Gauteng’s confirmed cases and now has the highest number of COVID-19 positive cases in the country. “A further analysis is being done as we…

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has issued a directive to all mining operations to ensure safe start-up procedures as the sector prepares to ramp up to 50% of capacity. “The directive was issued to ensure compliance with Section 5(1) of the Mine Health and Safety Act (Act No. 29 of 1996), as amended, which requires that every employer must as far as reasonably practicable, provide and maintain a safe working environment,” the department said. The start-up procedures must also address measures to be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as well as actions to provide a safe…

South Africa’s parliament returned to work last Thursday with lawmakers to hold virtual meetings in both the National Assembly (NA), the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and their committees. Presiding Officers have agreed to draft guidelines and rules on how virtual committee meetings and voting must be conducted. Virtual sittings of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces will deal with legislation and other matters needing approval or consideration from the Houses. On Wednesday, parliament published the rules for virtual meetings. The statement said these rules take into account procedures, precedents, practices and conventions developed by the House…

South Africa has 3 635 confirmed COVID-19 cases, the Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, announced on Wednesday. This is an increase of 170 cases from the previous night. In a statement, Mkhize confirmed that seven more COVID-19 related deaths had been recorded, bringing the total number to 65. Five of the deaths occurred in the Western Cape, while two were recorded in KwaZulu-Natal. To date, South Africa has conducted 133 774 COVID-19 tests, with 6 868 of these done in the last 24 hours. The provincial breakdown of infections is as follows: Gauteng: 1 224 Western Cape: 1 079…

Only a unified and coordinated response offers Africa the best possible chance of containing the COVID-19 outbreak. To achieve this, the continent’s leading business people will have to be a catalytic proponent confronting what President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his capacity as African Union chairperson, has called one of Africa’s defining modern-day challenges. President Ramaphosa made the remark while addressing leading African businesspeople and various heads of state during a virtual meeting on Wednesday. “The continent’s private sector is well placed to assist in many of our most pressing challenges. Combining our resources, we can implement the screening, testing and contact…

The Joint Standing Committee on Defence has unanimously supported the employment of additional members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to assist government’s intervention in the fight against COVID-19. On Thursday, the committee considered a number of letters from President Cyril Ramaphosa on the employment of the SANDF. The President is compelled — in terms Section 201 (3) of the Constitution and Section 18 (2) of the Defence Act (No 42 of 2002) — to inform Parliament regarding the reasons, place, number of soldiers, cost involved, as well as the period of employment – to which Parliament must…

Police Minister Bheki Cele has expressed concern at a large number of public officials arrested for violating COVID-19 regulations. Cele, during a visit to KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday to assess adherence to the National State of Disaster regulations, revealed that 131 officials have been arrested since last month. Those arrested include security forces, government officials and councillors. Among them were two Sergeants from Katlehong, Gauteng, who were arrested after allegedly demanding a bribe from a businessman, who had contravened the lockdown regulations on Monday. Cele said the two allegedly promised the businessman that they would destroy the docket in exchange for…

The International Women’s Forum of South Africa (IWFSA) has praised President Cyril Ramaphosa’s R500-billion economic stimulus and recovery plan, saying it will help beleaguered communities, particularly the youth, women and small businesses, as the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on the world’s people and economies. “We are pleased that this package – the biggest economic rescue package in our nation’s modern history, is a product of input from all partners, including government, business sector, labour and civil society,” said Irene Charnley, President of IWFSA. “It is especially important to note that the package is focussed on addressing the pressing needs…

To save small businesses and support government funding for Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), a group of South African entrepreneurs, funders and small business experts have banded together to launch Save Your Local. Save Your Local is a non-profit online aggregator that connects small businesses with their communities and customers by giving them access to a variety of voucher and donation platforms. Incepted just 10 days ago, Save Your Local aims to support small businesses by sustaining cash flow and averting business closures due to COVID-19. This is being achieved by providing online income-generating opportunities for businesses currently unable…

Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon.com, today announced the opening of the AWS Africa (Cape Town) Region. With this launch, AWS now spans 73 Availability Zones within 23 geographic regions around the world and has announced plans for 12 more Availability Zones across four more AWS Regions in Indonesia, Italy, Japan, and Spain. Starting today, developers, startups, and enterprises, as well as government, education, and non-profit organisations can run their applications and serve end-users in Africa with even lower latency and leverage advanced AWS technologies to drive innovation. “The cloud is positively transforming lives and businesses across Africa and we…

As the country continues to battle the impact of COVID-19, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) applauds President Ramaphosa’s fiscal stimulus to the economy. The JSE believes that the well-timed announcement balances South Africa’s fiscal challenges with the need for stimulation and growth in the economy. The government’s R500 billion stimulus package is a clear indication of government’s commitment to stimulating the economy whilst prioritising the fight against COVID-19. For more read: SA President Ramaphosa Announces R500-bn Stimulus Package The JSE believes that the additional measures mentioned in the stimulus package will be constructive in enhancing both consumer and business confidence…

South Africa’s confirmed COVID-19 cases now stands at 3 465 as of Tuesday. The total number of tests conducted are 126 937 of which 5 427 were done in the last 24 hours. The provincial breakdown is as follows: Gauteng                       1199 Western Cape              1010 KwaZulu-Natal               671 Eastern Cape                 345 Free State                      106 Limpopo                          27 North West                      24 Mpumalanga                  …

DHL Global Forwarding has launched a dedicated 100-tonne weekly air freight service for organizations and governments shipping goods from China to Africa and the Middle East. Capitalizing on Dubai’s strategic geographical location as the gateway to countries in the region, the leading international provider of air, sea and road freight services will consolidate cargo from across China into Guangzhou and air freight them via Dubai to their various destinations across Africa and the Middle East, all within two or three days. “DHL Global Forwarding is bolstering logistics support to our customers in the region who need to ensure stable supply…

Pick n Pay has launched digital grocery vouchers – a safe and easy way to make sure someone you care for has access to essential items. It can also serve as a surprise to let someone know that you are thinking of them. Available through Webtickets or at any Pick n Pay Money counter, this new offering will provide a convenient way to purchase and send digital grocery vouchers. Vouchers will be available from R50 up to R1 000 and once purchased, customers can simply send the digital grocery voucher to anyone via SMS or email. The digital grocery vouchers can…

We have received numerous calls and emails from our readers asking questions about how Covi-ID app works. Yesterday, we published an article titled: Coronavirus: New App Tracks COVID-19 and Ends Need for Lockdown The app, Covi-ID, employs QR code scanning to track and trace our citizens’ health status. It operates on blockchain technology in order to ensure the privacy of all users information, offering a decentralised solution. One of the unique selling points is that even those without access to a smartphone can benefit and make use of Covi-ID. We have below an article written by Associate Professor Co-Pierre Georg…

The total number of confirmed COVID19 cases in South Africa is now 3 300. “Today we regrettably report 4 new COVID19 related deaths. “We convey our condolences to the families. Stay at home unless it’s essential. We are going through a most challenging period, but we shall overcome.” Testing Data Tests have been conducted on 121 510 patients in both the public and private sectors. The tables and graphs below confirm the significant increase in testing which is mainly attributed to the mass community screening and testing taking place in provinces. Ban on cooked hot meals gazetted Government has gazetted…