South Africa

The Department of Water and Sanitation has condemned the destruction of water infrastructure in the Pretoria CBD.

Cape Town community leaders have reiterated their commitment to assist law enforcement agencies to expose people that seek to take advantage of genuine grievances, while ensuring order is restored within the affected communities.

Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Minister, Barbara Creecy, says she is hopeful that the department will issue 15-year fishing rights to small-scale fishers in the Western Cape.

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Ronald Lamola says the department will introduce a new bill that will enable victims of gender-based violence to apply for a protection order online.

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni says the National Treasury has made changes to the Loan Guarantee Scheme to make it easier for businesses to apply for business restart loans.

South Africa has shared its COVID-19 experiences with fellow BRICS member countries.

The Department of Employment and Labour in Mpumalanga has announced a temporary closure of its two local offices in eMalahleni and in Bethal due to a positive case of COVID-19.

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has welcomed Cabinet’s decision to close all public schools for four weeks, as COVID-19 infections rise.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a Special Official Funeral Category 1 as a mark of respect for the last remaining Rivonia Trialist and Isithwalandwe/Seaparankwe Andrew Mokete Mlangeni.

The country’s COVID-19 cases soared by 13 104 new cases on Thursday, bringing the total infections to 408 052 since the start of the outbreak.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed a proclamation authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe, in any State institution, allegations of corruption during or related to the COVID-19 national state of disaster.

With the country entering the eye of the COVID-19 storm, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the closure of public schools for the next four weeks.

Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, says KwaZulu-Natal appears to be following the same trend of COVID-19 infections, as witnessed in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Gauteng provinces.

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has cut the repo rate by 25 basis points.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will tonight brief the nation on developments in South Africa’s risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of Coronavirus.