COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES | 'I won't commend you on the booze ban, we warned you': Malema to Ramaphosa

July 13 2020 - 07:40

Everything you need to know about SA's new lockdown laws

At about 9pm on Sunday night, more than a dozen new pieces of legislation were thrust upon SA.

They cover everything from alcohol, cigarettes and wearing a mask to when you can leave your home.

The laws, gazetted by cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, take effect immediately.

July 13 2020 - 07:38

Absentee rates up to 40% as Covid-19 fears keep pupils at home

A spike in Covid-19 infections at schools and parents’ reluctance to send their children back to class has forced many pupils to stay away.

A teacher and a principal group said many schools ​had absentee rates of between 30% and 40%.

July 13 2020 - 07:21

'I won't commend you on banning alcohol, because we warned you': Julius Malema 

July 13 2020 - 7:00

Fynbos expert edited scientific paper in hospital before dying of Covid-19

Well-known Cape Town horticulturist and conservationist Anthony Hitchcock died in hospital on Tuesday of Covid-19 complications while undergoing treatment for cancer.

The 60-year-old Hitchcock was the nursery and threatened species programme manager at the SA National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). He was a dedicated and highly regarded fynbos expert who led various plant restoration projects in the Western Cape, and was reportedly still editing a scientific paper while in hospital.

July 13 2020 - 6:00

WATCH | 4-year-old's frustrations about Covid-19 lockdown go viral

4- year-old Blake McLean's pandemic meltdown is the most relatable thing on social media right now

July 13 2020 - 6:00

Dis-Chem halts drive-through Covid-19 testing sites in Gauteng: what you need to know

Pharmaceutical retailer Dis-Chem has closed down its drive-through Covid-19 testing sites due to backlogs and an unanticipated increase in the infection rate in Gauteng.

Dis-Chem launched the drive-through Covid-19 testing sites in Gauteng in April, with each test costing R850.

In June, the pharmaceutical retailer announced that it would be offering free tests to all unemployed South Africans and those with a job but without medical aid.

'Foreseeable future'

According to Dis-Chem, it was closing its testing facilities for the “foreseeable future” as the results have severely affected the capacity of laboratories.

July 13 2020 - 6:00

An organisation claiming to represent thousands of businesses has called on the government to call off the lockdown

An organisation claiming to represent thousands of businesses has called on the government to call off the lockdown, which it says has left many with no means of putting food on the table.

The group “End Lockdown SA” made the call on Sunday in an open letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa and members of his executive, among others. They argued that the lockdown has impacted negatively on their ability to make an income since it was imposed nearly 110 days ago.

July 13 2020 - 5:30

'No, Gauteng has not run out of oxygen,' says provincial health department

The Gauteng health department has denied claims the province has run out of oxygen amid a surge in Covid-19 cases.

July 13 2020 - 5:00

Employees can check payment status on UIF Covid-19 portal, but it has flaws

Employees who have not received payouts from the Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (Ters), which is the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Covid-19 fund, since the beginning of lockdown, have no way of finding out what could be outstanding or delaying their payouts.