South Africa

National Assembly (NA) Speaker Thandi Modise has proposed an extraordinary extended debate on the recent civil unrest, looting and destruction of property.

South Africa has recorded 14 858 new COVID-19 cases bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 2 342 330.

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, has congratulated Biovac for being appointed as manufacturer of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for distribution within the African Union.

Acting Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, says the death toll related to the recent unrest has risen to 337 in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

Although business and the country may be battered by COVID-19 pandemic, the Provincial Human Settlements MECs, have made an undertaking to accelerate housing delivery over the next coming months, in a bid to enable government to deliver on its set target for the 2021/2022 financial year.

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided against changing the repo rate, opting to keep it at the current 3.5% per annum.

Eskom says it will implement Stage 2 load shedding from 4pm to 9pm this evening.

KwaZulu-Natal Human Settlements and Public Works MEC, Jomo Sibiya, says despite legislative and policy interventions to eradicate inequalities in ownership of property, in practice, skewed patterns of ownership, participation and benefit remain.

Due to the severely cold weather in parts of the country, coupled with the loss of some generation capacity, Eskom has warned that it may be forced to implement load shedding at short notice.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has appointed a panel to assist government to address the challenge of unity and leadership in the taxi industry.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared that the funeral of Ikosi Sipho Mahlangu will be conducted in line with protocols of the Special Official Funeral Category 1, which includes military honours.

The Portfolio Committee on Police says it is steadfast that the executive will be held accountable for security lapses during the looting, violence and destruction of property that affected KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane, has refuted widespread reports concerning the number of bodies that are being kept at the Phoenix Medico-Legal Mortuary (MLM).

The Department of Water and Sanitation has warned that water levels in the country’s dams in the different provinces, continues to dwindle week-on-week amidst the dry winter season.

Western Cape Premier, Alan Winde, and the MEC for Transport and Public Works, Daylin Mitchell, have met with the management of Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) to ensure more public transport capac