South Africa

Due to lockdown and strict restrictions, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) says it can only serve a minimum number of clients a day.

As the country prepares for the reopening of schools, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government has assured parents and stakeholders that all necessary precautions will be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will this morning hold a virtual engagement with stakeholders in tourism who have sought an opportunity to engage the President on the impact of COVID-19 on the industry and plans to sustain the sector.

South Africa has recorded 30 new COVID-19 related deaths bringing the total number of deaths to 369 - this as the country’s cases rise to 19 137.

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has cut the Repurchase (repo) rate by 50 basis points.

Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi has assured Parliament that the department is conducting the requisite due diligence as it disburses COVID-19 TERS Benefits to avoid processing fraudulent claims.

Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has called upon every citizen to start saving water in earnest and use its availability as a weapon to fight COVID-19.

The level of awareness and compliance with the lockdown regulations in Gauteng have improved but areas in some townships remain a concern for government.

Due to the current lockdown, citizens can expect a three-day blackout during the winter, a sizeable decrease from the envisaged 31 days of stage 1 load shedding.

As government prepares for the ease of the lockdown to alert level 3, President Cyril Ramaphosa has consulted a broad range of faith leaders on government’s preparations for a differentiated approach to the reopening of the economy alongside the unrelenting effort to save lives.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has facilitated the repatriation by air of 5 239 South Africans stranded abroad.

The Mahikeng Provincial Hospital has been decontaminated after a hospital doctor tested positive for COVID-19.

Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and her Deputy, Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize, will on Friday host a webinar focusing on upholding the rights of persons with disabilities.

World Health Organisation (WHO) member states have signed a resolution that calls for COVID-19 vaccines to be classified as a global public good for health in order to bring the pandemic to an end.

As the numbers of COVID-19 cases increase, South Africa has recorded its first death of an infant due to Coronavirus.