Author: Staff Writer
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…
As the taxi industry counts the costs of the COVID-19 pandemic, intergovernmental consultations on a Taxi Industry Relief intervention are at an advanced stage. This was confirmed by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula during a virtual meeting with the National Taxi Alliance (NTA) on Sunday. “The Departments of Transport, Small Business, Labour, Trade and Competition as well as the National Treasury have agreed to support the industry and are currently looking at various modalities of assistance,” the Transport Ministry in a statement said. The meeting was to discuss the effects the COVID-19 national lockdown regulations and directions were having on the…
Correctional Services says five more officials have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing to 99 the total number of cases in Correctional Services. “The number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in Correctional Services has increased by five officials, thus bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 99,” the department said on Saturday. The five new cases of officials are as follows: one at Limpopo Regional Office, two in East London and two in Worcester. The total breakdown of confirmed cases at Correctional Services is as follows: Eastern Cape Officials – 31 Inmates – 56 (remains the same as previously reported) Western…
President Cyril Ramaphosa has chaired a virtual meeting of the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC), which discussed measures to strengthen and intensify the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The virtual meeting was held on Saturday, as South Africa marked day 23 of the national lockdown. On Thursday, 9 April, President Ramaphosa announced a two-week extension of the previously announced 21-day national lockdown, which is part of efforts to slow the spread of Coronavirus. The previous meeting of the PCC, which was held on 4 April 2020, assessed the effectiveness of the original 21-day lockdown period. The PCC agreed on the…
Efforts to ensure the repatriation of South Africans stranded abroad are continuing, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said on Saturday. “Negotiations are ongoing with countries and other stakeholders to allow stranded South Africans to travel,” said the department in a statement. The department has assured South Africans stranded abroad that no effort will be spared to ensure their repatriation amidst the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Efforts to repatriate citizens are constrained by regulations introduced to limit the movement of people globally in a bid to curb the spread of the virus. “Many countries across the world have instituted…