News in South Africa 13th September: 1. Lockdown level 2: President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that South Africa’s adjusted level 3 lockdown regulations will be relaxed as the country sees a decline in its third wave of Covid-19 cases. In a national address on Sunday evening, the president said that a sustained decline in infections […]
News in South Africa 10th September: 1. Mandatory vaccines for Sanlam staff: Insurer Sanlam is working on a policy for mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations for its staff, citing workplace safety and prevention of loss of life. The company, which is Africa’s largest insurer, said the policy will apply to all employees in its South African operations, […]
News in South Africa 9th September: 1. Calls for state of disaster to end: Western Cape premier Alan Winde has called for the end of the state of disaster, saying that a blanket approach to dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic is no longer needed. It should be up to provincial governments to deal with the […]
1. Lower lockdown level soon: President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to ease lockdown restrictions following consultations with the Health Department, the National Coronavirus Command Council, and other stakeholders this week – however, not all health experts are on board with the plan. The National Coronavirus Command Council is expected to meet with political parties and […]
1. New variant infections slows: South African scientists said a new variant, with a concerning number of mutations, spread at a slower rate last month than in July. The so-called C.1.2 variant accounted for just 1.5% of all virus samples sequenced in the country in August compared with 2.2% in July, according to the Network […]
1. Elections on schedule: The Constitutional Court has ruled that South Africa’s 2021 elections will go ahead on schedule and should be held no later than 1 November 2021. The commission is expected to make announcements relating to the electoral programme and its readiness today. This has placed the ANC in a difficult position, analysts […]
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 […]
1. Over 6.1mil South Africans vaccinated: The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said that over 6.1 million South African were now fully vaccinated with either the on-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine or the double dose Pfizer jab. About 15% of the country’s adults are fully vaccinated compared to about 24% of those 18 years […]
1. Electricity eats up salaries: Municipal tariffs are gobbling up an increasing portion of household income in South Africa, with especially electricity becoming almost unaffordable, says economist Mike Schüssler. Of the amount Joburg inner-city tenants pay for their council bills, almost half is for electricity. According to data from the Johannesburg Property Owners and Managers […]
News in South Africa 26th August: 1. Vaccines and purchasing alcohol: The South African Liquor Brandowners Association (Salba) has dismissed a proposal that Covid-19 vaccinations should be a requirement for purchasing alcohol, warning that it is not a viable option for South Africa. The industry body said that it supports public education and awareness efforts to […]
