News in South Africa 13th December: 1. Lockdown free Christmas possible: Health Minister Joe Phaahla says if South Africans stay put and observe all Covid-19 protocols then a lockdown free Christmas might be possible. The National Coronavirus Command Council is set to meet on Tuesday. Phaahla says that the data is “promising”, but the number […]
News in South Africa 28th September: 1. Move to lockdown level 1 in sight: Health experts expect South Africa to move to lockdown level 1 by the end of the week. When South Africa was placed under lockdown level 2, president Cyril Ramaphosa said the government would review the situation in 2 weeks. However, he […]
1. Government to review lockdown: The government is reviewing South Africa’s lockdown restrictions on a weekly basis and is encouraged by the declining number of Covid-19 cases seen in the country, says health minister Joe Phaahla. Addressing media on Friday (3 September), Phaahla said an analysis would be conducted by the health department and the […]
News in South Africa 7th July: 1. PPE corruption investigations halted: Briefings on investigations into various cases of PPE corruption and other Covid-related contracts had to be put on hold this week. The report on the health department’s dodgy R150-million Digital Vibes tender, which benefited Health Minister Zweli Mkhize but then got him put on special leave, […]
News in South Africa 11th February: 1. National state of disaster extended: Cabinet has approved the extension off the national state of disaster by another month, with the next ‘end’ date set for 15 March 2020. The extension means the country has been in the state of disaster for a year. Critics and opposition parties […]
News in South Africa 3rd February: 1. Calls for transparency with vaccine tenders: The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) has sent a letter to the ministers of health and finance calling for open tender processes for the storage and distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine. The committee has requested the two ministers in the letter […]
News in South Africa 2nd February: 1. SA Lockdown measures relaxed: South African lockdown measures have been relaxed as the country records its lowest number of daily infections since the start of December. Ramaphosa announced the country would remain on an adjusted Level 3 with the sale of alcohol, among other things, being permitted. “In fact, […]
News in South Africa 22nd January: 1. Repo rate unchanged at 3.5%: The Reserve Bank has decided to keep rates unchanged at 3.5%, in line with the expectations of economists. Governor Lesetja Kganyago made the announcement on Thursday afternoon, following the bank’s Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC) first meeting for the year this week. Two of […]
News in South Africa 21st January: 1. Economy needs restrictions reduced: Western Cape premier Alan Winde is offering suggestions how to allow a controlled reopening of the economy under Covid-19 regulations, including a limited resumption of the sale of alcohol. He told the provincial legislature about his concerns for businesses and that he had held […]
News in South Africa 15th January: 1. Calls for Level 5 in hotspots: Health experts have called on Gauteng residents to put themselves voluntarily into lockdown level five, warning that the peak of the second wave was still to come. Experts also called on government to introduce online learning until there’s a clear downward trend […]
