News in South Africa 31st December: 1. Zero tolerance for lockdown rule-breakers: The country’s security forces stepped up checks in Johannesburg streets on Tuesday evening, under orders to implement what the authorities called a “zero-tolerance approach” to violators. The restrictions wind back the clock to the early months of the coronavirus pandemic in South Africa. […]
News in South Africa 30th December: 1. Long wait for vaccines: South Africa, which has Africa’s worst recorded coronavirus outbreak, may have to wait months to receive its first vaccines even as other countries race to roll out the shots. The government only expects vaccines that it paid a deposit to secure from the World […]
News in South Africa 29th December: 1. Return to lockdown level 3 and no alcohol: President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that South Africa will move back to lockdown level 3, taking effect from midnight tonight. In an address on Monday evening (28 December), Ramaphosa said that the move is being done to limit super-spreader events […]
News in South Africa 28th December: 1. Liquor ban consideration: South Africa is considering reinstating a total ban on liquor sales as the number of Covid-19 infections surge over the summer holiday season. Restrictions on alcohol sales have been implemented to various degrees since one of the world’s most stringent lockdowns was imposed in March, […]
News in South Africa 23rd December: 1. Second wave in SA reaching inland: Much of the coronavirus focus is on coastal regions right now. But Gauteng has the highest cumulative Covid-19 caseload in South Africa and – even before holidaymakers return from the coast – at least 20 wards have been identified as developing hotspots, […]
News in South Africa 22nd December: 1. 17 health facilities investigated – many challenges found: A shortage of personal protection equipment (PPE) and staff, poor hygiene and substandard ambulance services were the key challenges highlighted in a public protector investigation into 17 public health facilities. On Monday, Adv Busi Mkhwebane released a report into investigations into several departments, including the health […]
News in South Africa 17th December: 1. Beach restrictions and compliance warnings: Comply, or be closed. That’s the warning signalled by Police Minister Bheki Cele during beach compliance spot checks in Cape Town. While in other provinces beaches were closed on Wednesday, Cele says the concession granted to parts of the Western Cape is not an […]
News in South Africa 15th December: 1. New festive season lockdown restrictions: On Tuesday morning, government gazetted the new regulations for the festive season (until 3 January) that are effective immediately. The new regulations compel all district municipalities to publish on their websites and in the local media information about areas with high infection rates within […]
News in South Africa 14th December: 1. Ramaphosa to address nation tonight: President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation tonight at 20h00. President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to give details of a wide range of new restrictions on Monday evening as the country battles a second wave of COVID-19. Over the weekend, he met with Cabinet to […]
News in South Africa 11th December: 1. Eskom warns of load shedding: Eskom warned on Thursday that while no load shedding was immediately anticipated, there was a “high probability” should any further capacity be lost. The system was severely constrained, Eskom said in a statement shortly before 18:00. This was caused by the loss of […]
