Author: Staff Writer

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…

JSE-listed technology group EOH has agreed to sell R240 million worth of assets to RIB Limited and owners of LSD Information Technology (LSD). The deals are in line with EOH’s strategic intent of reducing debt and improving liquidity. EOH said on Monday it will sell its 30% stake in Construction Computer Software (CCS) to RIB. The deal is valued at R143 million. In July 2019, EOH Mthombo sold 70% of its shares in CCS to RIB. The remaining 30% shareholding in CCS was retained as EOH planned to participate in the growth of CCS through RIB’s broader distribution and development…

In response to the global COVID-19 crisis, Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) is planning to manufacture face masks and medical equipment, which could be crucial in protecting South African citizens from the coronavirus. VWSA has partnered with Gusco to produce soft fabric face masks aimed at reducing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Following a successful trial batch, production of these masks began last week, with the goal of delivering a few thousand masks over the coming weeks in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. The idea to produce face masks stemmed from the national and global shortage of protective masks.…

Twelve police officers, including a reservist, have been arrested for allegedly violating the National Disaster Management Regulations, as well as for corruption. “The arrest of our own is both disheartening and at the same time, pleasing, in a sense that it shows that the South African Police Service (SAPS) remains unbiased, as well as that it has the capacity and the capability to decisively deal with criminality within its ranks,” National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Khehla Sitole, said on Monday. The 12 were arrested in three separate incidents at the weekend. In the first incident, five members, including a police…

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday expressed concern at the alleged theft of food parcels meant to assist distressed families and individuals during the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown. “A number of provinces have received reports that callous individuals, some of them allegedly government officials, are hoarding or selling food parcels earmarked for the needy and destitute, or diverting them to their friends and families,” said the President in his weekly newsletter. In the letter, the President vowed to deal with individuals harshly, should the allegations prove to be true. Like many other countries around the world, South Africa has imposed the lockdown…

MiWay is refunding millions of rands to customers stuck at home during the coronavirus lockdown. The short-term insurer said it would give back R18 million in total to customers. “The implication of the extension of the lockdown by a further two weeks is that MiWay is in a position to give an additional 7% premium discount on all motor premiums. This is consistent with the 10% discount we gave for the initial 3-week lockdown,” MiWay CEO René Otto says. “We believe the right thing to do is to pass this saving of R18 million on to our clients. This brings…

Yoco, a financial platform for small business, announced that it has launched a suite of online payment solutions for merchants to sustain their cash flow during and beyond lockdown. Known for in-person payments, enabling online payments marks a step-change for the company and its customers. “Yoco’s mission has always centred around helping small businesses thrive and supporting them is more important now than ever before. The national lockdown has had a severe impact on our merchants,” said Katlego Maphai, co-founder and CEO. “Through our platform and the results of a recent merchant survey, we have seen up to a 90%…

SA’s Wireless Application Service Providers’ Association (WASPA) advises mobile users that they should expect to receive educational SMS (Short Message Service) text messages to do with the current COVID-19 emergency. “Aside from expecting these messages disseminated by the country’s mobile network operators (MNOs) and wireless application service providers (WASPs), mobile consumers should also be aware that they cannot opt-out of these vital communications,” says Ilonka Badenhorst, General Manager of WASPA. Government has mandated that MNOs, in particular, should twice daily transmit educational text messages relating to combatting the current pandemic. In this regard, WASPA draws the public’s attention to Clause…

MultiChoice announced on Monday it has invested R4.5 million in Bay TV, Soweto TV and Tshwane TV. The investment is part of MultiChoice’s continued efforts to support the local video entertainment industry. Each of the selected stations will use the R1.5 million funding for the creation of fresh, new content.  Towards the end of 2019, MultiChoice called on community TV stations across the country to submit original content ideas for consideration. “Through our infrastructure, technology and empowerment initiatives, we empower an entertainment supply chain which, in turn, supports local business and communities touched by our business. For community TV stations, this…

Facebook wants to take on Twitch and YouTube with a new dedicated mobile gaming app, according to a report by The Verge. The app is set to be introduced on April 20th. It will only be available on Android devices at first. The company has plans to release the app for iOS devices once “Apple approves them.” Facebook’s gaming app will largely curate and focus on the streaming community, according to The Verge. “Investing in gaming, in general, has become a priority for us because we see gaming as a form of entertainment that really connects people,” Fidji Simo, head…