COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES | Ramaphosa summons communications minister

April 7 2020 14:00

Ramaphosa to meet Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams over 'breaking lockdown rules'

President Cyril Ramaphosa says he has summoned communications minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams to discuss a widely circulated social media post allegedly depicting her "flouting lockdown rules".

Former higher education minister Mduduzi Manana shared an image of himself dining with Ndabeni-Abrahams and others on social media.

“It was great to host a former colleague and dear sister Cde Stella Ndaben-Abrahams ... on her way back from executing critical and essential services required for the effective functioning of our country during the nationwide lockdown,” the post read.

The post has since been taken down.

April 7 2020 13:52

Fight to buy newborn baby clothing during lockdown goes to ConCourt

Two organisations have launched an urgent application before the Constitutional Court in a bid to open shops that sell baby clothing during the lockdown.

The Tebeila Institute of Leadership, Education, Governance and Training and the African Institute for Human Rights and Constitutional Litigation want the application, filed on  Monday, to be heard on Wednesday.

The respondent is President Cyril Ramaphosa.

April 7 2020 13:25

Calls grow on social media for rethink of 'essential items' lockdown list

Calls for the list of "essential items" that can be bought under lockdown are growing on social media as the country enters day 12 of Covid-19 restrictions on Tuesday. 

During the 21-day lockdown, intended to reduce social interaction, people are allowed to shop for “essential items” only, such as food and hygiene products.

But as the days roll on, many are finding themselves unable to purchase items they regard as essential, such as baby clothes, light bulbs and kettles.

April 7 2020 13:15

Show me lockdown activities and I'll shave my head, principal tells pupils

Hillcrest Primary School pupils are living every kid's dream as they have the power to make their principal shave his head. 

In an unusual move on Tuesday morning, the school challenged its pupils to post photographs of their activities during the lockdown on Facebook by 4pm.

Just two hours into the challenge, the target of 100 photographs of different activities - from creative art projects to baking hot cross buns - was reached, and principal Raj Kemraj was preparing to shave his head.

April 7 2020 13:14

Initiative provides free, safe beds for health workers during pandemic

Two doctors who need safe accommodation during the Covid-19 pandemic — offered at no cost by Ubuntu Beds to health-care workers on the front lines — will be the first to check in on Tuesday in Johannesburg.

Ubuntu Beds has more than 2,000 beds available, and by Monday night about 500 health-care workers from six provinces had applied for accommodation.

“The numbers are always growing. Most of them want to move out of their homes to protect their loved ones from the risk of infection,” said Kim Whitaker, founder of Ubuntu Beds. “Many people commute back and forth to hospitals in public transport and this is a concern for patients.”

April 7 2020 13:12

Global death toll from coronavirus tops 75,000: AFP tally

The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 75,000 people worldwide, the majority of them in Europe, since it emerged in China in December, according to a tally compiled by AFP from official sources at 0945 GMT on Tuesday.

A total of 75,538 deaths have been recorded, including 53,928 in Europe, the continent worst hit by the virus.

April 7 2020 13:10

Johann Rupert's R1bn Covid-19 relief fund temporarily shut as it hits capacity

The R1bn Sukuma Relief Programme for businesses, started by the Rupert family and Remgro, has been closed temporarily after receiving R2.8bn in applications.

On Monday Business Partners, the fund administrators, temporarily suspended applications just three days after it had launched the website in which small to mid-size enterprises (SMEs) and sole proprietors could apply for relief funding.

April 7 2020 13:04

'Drink, drink a lot ... of water' on lockdown, says Bheki Cele

Police minister Bheki Cele on Tuesday told police to instruct people not observing Covid-19 lockdown rules to go home, failing which “push them home” and if that failed, “they should arrest them”. 

He disclosed that 1,295 people have been arrested for violating lockdown conditions in the area of Embalenhle in Secunda, during a visit to the township to observe operations to restrict the spread of the coronavirus.

He said people of that township had a “tendency of not listening”.

“I hear them crying that cops and soldiers are brutal. Not listening to us is brutality,” Cele said.

April 7 2020 12:18

EFF impressed with government's swift response to repatriate stranded South Africans 

The EFF has commended government for its response in repatriating South Africans who are stuck in foreign countries and are unable to return as a result of Covid-19.

"The rapid spread of Covid-19 pandemic around the world has seen most countries put into law travel restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19. As a result 1,471 South Africans are stranded in foreign countries. Out of the 1,471 who are stranded 723 are students. Some are stranded at airports with no accommodation and no food, thus the decisiveness of the government in this regard is commendable."

April 7 2020 12:00

Zwelinzima Vavi discharged from hospital, remains in isolation

Saftu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has been discharged from hospital after he tested positive for Covid-19.

April 7 2020 11:45

Ramaphosa to be briefed on water department's Covid-19 response plan

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Tuesday visit the human settlements, water and sanitation command centre in Johannesburg where he will get feedback on the department's Covid-19 response plan.

April 7 2020 11:24

Wits engineers make face shields to protect healthcare workers

A group of engineering students at the University of the Witwatersrand are making face shields for healthcare workers to protect themselves against.

"Netcare 911, one of the healthcare facilities currently experiencing a massive shortage of protective gear, called on the 3D printing community to assist with printing head rings for face shields for use by medical staff treating patients with COVID-19."

"Teams at Wits from the Digital Incubator at the Tshimologong Precinct, the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering (MIA) along with the Transnet Centre of Systems Engineering (TCSE) and the Transnet Matlafatšo Centre (TMC) heeded the call and used their engineering prowess to assist with a solution to the problem."

April 7 2020 10:45

Keeping fit while in lockdown

The department of health has shared fitness techniques to help South Africans to stay fit while in lockdown.

April 7 2020 10:28

'Stay safe Africa': billionaire Jack Ma donates more equipment for Covid-19 combat

Africa's fight against the deadly Covid-19 was given yet another boost by Chinese billionaire businessman Jack Ma, who announced a second donation of health-care equipment to African states. 

This comes a few weeks after the Alibaba founder announced his foundation and the Alibaba Foundation would donate equipment to African countries to help them fight the Covid-19 pandemic which has claimed thousands of lives.

Similar donations were made to Latin America, Asia and the US. 

April 7 2020 10:00

Local scientists claim breakthrough that could help find Covid-19 vaccine

As South African enters the 12th day of the nationwide lockdown aimed at containing the spread of Covid-19, local researchers have claimed progress in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

The scientists — from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the University of the Western Cape's South African National Bioinformatics Institute (Sanbi) — have sequenced the first severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genome.

April 7 2020 09:50

Ramaphosa wishes Boris Johnson a 'speedy recovery'

President Cyril Ramaphosa has wished Britain's prime minister Boris Johnson a speedy recovery.

"Wishing prime minister Boris Johnson a full and speedy recovery, and sending our support to him and to the people of the United Kingdom. We are going through a most challenging period but we shall overcome. Our thoughts are with him and his loved ones at this time."

April 7 2020 09:40

World health day an opportunity to celebrate selfless acts of health workers: WHO

The World Health Organisation says World Health Day is about celebrating the selfless acts of health care practitioners.

April 7 2020 08:17

Sassa gives food parcels to recipients whose grants lapsed due to Covid-19 lockdown

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) is providing food parcels and vouchers to temporary disability grant recipients whose grants expired in March and who could not reapply for the renewal of the grants because of the national lockdown.

“Sassa offices were closed since the lockdown and this posed a challenge for beneficiaries whose grants expired in March and were therefore unable to reapply at Sassa offices,” Sassa spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said.

April 7 2020 08:06

Prisoners & staff to be tested for Covid-19 after warder tests positive

A female official working at the East London Correctional Centre, in Westbank, has tested positive for Covid-19, the department of correctional services said late on Monday.

Correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo told DispatchLIVE that all officials who have come into contact with the infected person have been identified and asked to isolate at home while awaiting testing.

April 7 2020 07:00

‘I don’t know about this corona thing’: it’s life as usual in hostels

In the notorious Glebelands Hostel in KZN, social distancing does not apply - with good reason.

Times Select takes you inside Glebelands as eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda makes an appearance to resolve the issue of "hand sanitisers".​

• GET THE FULL STORY IN TODAY’S TIMES SELECT