COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES | Ramaphosa to address SA tonight

January 11 2021 - 14:38

Ramaphosa to address SA tonight

January 11 2021 - 14:31

IEC seeks to postpone latest round of by-elections due to Covid-19

The second wave of Covid-19 and strict regulations limiting gatherings have forced the Electoral Commission (IEC) to seek a postponement of the latest rounds of by-elections.

The IEC announced on Monday that it has again approached the Electoral Court to postpone by-elections after the implementation of Covid-19 level 3 lockdown restrictions.

The commission is seeking the court’s approval to postpone by-elections scheduled for January 20, February 3 and February 17 on the basis that the latest regulations curtail political activities, “imperilling” the freeness and fairness of the elections.

January 11 2021 - 14:07

Grade 12 exam marking extended as marker dies, some withdraw due to Covid-19

The department of basic education has extended the marking of grade 12 exam papers due to a shortage of markers after some withdrew or declined to work,  often because of Covid-19.

This was revealed by an education official during a media briefing on Monday. It was also revealed that marking would go on for 18 days, as opposed to 12 to 14 days in previous years.

Marking started on January 4 and was expected to be completed on January 22.  

“To date 2,703 of 46,024 markers withdrew,” said Priscilla Ogunbanjo, director for examinations at the department.  

She said one marker in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal, reported for duty at a marking centre while feeling sick and later died of Covid-19 complications. Another marker has since contracted the coronavirus at the centre.

January 11 2021 - 14:02

Nasrec facility will help as Gauteng hospitalisations surge: David Makhura

Gauteng premier David Makhura said Tshwane is the hardest-hit by the second wave of Covid-19 as it records the province's highest daily infections.

“It's at the centre, it's where the heat is at the moment,” Makhura said.

He said the evidence showed that the second wave would be worse than the first.

“We are just where we were at the peak of the first wave and we are passing that peak, all models are telling us,” he said.

Makhura visited Steve Biko Academic Hospital in the city with the health MEC, Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi, on Monday. This was after the department of health reported that the hospital was experiencing a sharp increase in the number of Covid-19 patients, which has been noted since December.

January 11 2021 - 12:58

POLL | What are you expecting from Ramaphosa's 'family meeting'?

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to hold a “family meeting” on Monday evening, where he is set to extend the level 3 lockdown to February 15.

This is according to an insider in the national coronavirus command council (NCCC). 

The insider told Sunday Times Daily that Ramaphosa would not be moving the country into a harder lockdown level 4, as stated in rumours doing the rounds.

January 11 2021 - 12:55

'It represents pure capitalist greed and opportunism': Shivambu slams SAB campaign against booze ban

EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu has slammed SA Breweries' social media campaign against the alcohol ban, claiming it “represents pure capitalist greed and opportunism”.

SAB spearheaded a campaign on social media against the ban, allegedly including influencers such as Khanyi Mbau.

According to a brief purportedly sent by SAB to influencers, the campaign was set to run from January 4 until February 4.

January 11 2021 - 12:44

Covid-19 claims champion of rural women's rights Sizani Ngubane

Champion of rural women’s rights Sizani Ngubane was laid to rest in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands on Saturday, more than two weeks after she died alone in her home from complications related to Covid-19.

Ngubane, 74, was the founder of the Rural Women’s Movement which has been at the forefront of advancing the legal rights of rural women in SA.

The movement and its members are applicants in a high court case against the Ingonyama Trust, its board, ministers and others relating to the alleged imposition of leases by the trust, and rentals to be paid to them by the rural poor. The matter is pending.

January 11 2021 - 11:33

'Family meeting' on lockdown rules imminent: Level 3 set to be extended by President Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation on Monday night, according to an insider in the national coronavirus command council (NCCC) and a hint from Gauteng premier David Makhura.

The insider told Sunday Times Daily the president will not move the country into a harder lockdown level 4, as previously rumoured.

He said lockdown level 3 will be extended until February 15 and the curfew will be amended to between 9pm and 5am, from 9am to 6am.

January 11 2021 - 11:12

Families warned not to exhume Covid-19 corpses despite deceased appearing in dreams

Because of traditional and religious beliefs, some Eastern Cape families are defying Covid-19 regulations by exhuming the corpses of  people who died after contracting the coronavirus, saying the plastic used to encase the corpses suffocates their dead relatives.

The Faleni family in Nkwenkwana village in Ngcobo said they had not slept peacefully since burying a loved one who had succumbed to the virus.

They recently hired 10 men to exhume the body to remove the plastic cover.

January 11 2021 - 11:11

After children poisoned, parents have to deal with Covid deaths, medical bills, court action

When Matthew Ingram and his sister Tammy died of pesticide poisoning, he had been reading a book about the holocaust — one where two children held hands as their bodies shut down from the gas they never knew they were inhaling.

The similarities of what befell the characters in the book, discovered in Matthew’s room only recently, and what the Ingram siblings experienced seven decades later, is frightening — but for grieving parents Stanton and Selina Ingram, the nightmare is far from over.

As they battle through endless medical bills and try to cope with their new normal — one without the sound of laughter coming from their children’s bedrooms and spontaneous hugs — they are aware of what lies ahead: a court case which could drag on for years.

January 11 2021 - 11:10

Second wave hasn't peaked yet, say experts

Medical experts believe that SA is yet to reach its peak of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, despite record numbers of cases recorded in the past few days.

University of the Witwatersrand vaccinologist Prof Shabir Madhi warned that the situation is going to get worse before it gets better.

“When you look at the trajectory of the epidemic and what happened in the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape and how long they took to peak, in the next few weeks, as people start returning to work, they are more likely to be in contact with other people. That will contribute to a further increase in infection,” Madhi said.

January 11 2021 - 11:05

'No-one will die because you weren't part of a funeral': Limpopo health MEC urges 'virtual support'

Limpopo health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba has urged mourners to reconsider attending funerals amid the Covid-19 pandemic and instead offer “virtual support” to grieving families.

She said some families choose not to disclose that their loved ones died from illnesses related to Covid-19 and are close contacts of the deceased, which could contribute to a spike in infections.

“Families are not disclosing that their loved ones died of complications associated with  Covid-19. They are serving you tea while they know they are close contacts of the deceased.

“Send them condolences messages. Buy them flowers or even e-wallet them. They will appreciate this. Let’s all stay safe,” she tweeted on Sunday.

She also shared a poster stating catering and weekly visits to the grieving during the pandemic are “not necessary”.

“No-one will die because you were not part of a funeral.”

January 11 2021 - 10:47

Health worker held after attempted theft of PPE

An Eastern Cape health worker was nabbed at the weekend for allegedly attempting to steal eight boxes of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Spotted by a vigilant security guard as he was about to leave the Frontier Hospital in Komani on Saturday, the man was arrested and detained by police.

He is expected to appear in court soon.

The accused was one of hundreds of people the provincial government had roped in to help fight the spread of Covid-19.

Eastern Cape health MEC Sindiswa Gomba thanked all security guards for carrying out their duties well.

“Had it not been for the vigilance of the security guard, the worker would have succeeded in stealing the PPE,” Gomba said.

“We condemn such thievery with the contempt it deserves.

“By stealing the PPE, the worker was leaving front-line workers like nurses and doctors defenceless against this vicious virus that has already killed 8,662 people in the Eastern Cape.”

Gomba called on the criminal justice system to make an example out of the arrested man.

January 11 2021 - 10:41

Taps run dry for fourth day in Durban Covid-19 hotspot

Hundreds of Chatsworth households woke to dry taps on Monday as technicians attempted to repair a water pump in Northdene.

A Covid-19 hotspot, Chatsworth has been without water for four days.

The community has been largely relying on civil society and neighbouring communities for water and claim that municipal water tankers have not been operating in all parts of the area.

The eThekwini municipality said on Sunday evening that the water shortage was a result of an “unexpected malfunctioning of a pump” in Northdene.

“A contractor has been appointed with speed to replace the pump and is currently on site. Welders are also on site to bypass a normal main water supply pipe,” the municipality said in a post on Facebook. 

January 11 2021 - 10:32

'In the second wave, Tshwane Metro has the highest number of daily infections': Makhura

January 11 2021 - 09:25

Police use force to disperse churchgoers violating lockdown regulations

Police used rubber bullets and stun grenades to disperse a group of about 250 people who had gathered for a church service in Sebokeng Zone 7 in the Vaal area on Sunday.

Two church leaders aged 47 and 69 were arrested for contravening level 3 lockdown regulations which do not allow for church services to be held.

A 62-year-old woman was arrested for a similar contravention and for an additional charge of public violence.

January 11 2021 - 08:53

SA's total Covid-19 death toll climbs to 33,163

SA recorded 339 deaths related to Covid-19 on Sunday night, bringing the country’s total death toll to 33,163

Health minister Zweli Mkhize said the country recorded 17,421 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total to 1,231,597.

He said a cumulative total of 7,183,893 tests have been completed, with 63,046 tests conducted since the last report.

Of the 339 deaths related to Covid-19, the Eastern Cape recorded 77, Free State 19, Gauteng 28, KwaZulu-Natal 71, Limpopo 14, Mpumalanga 10, Northern Cape 7 and Western Cape 113.

January 11 2021 - 08:50

Salary freeze for four months at Amathole municipality

The Amathole municipality in the Eastern Cape will not be able to pay salaries to councillors, traditional leaders and all staff for four months beginning in February due to strained financial resources.

The non-payment of salaries will affect 1,670 people.

In a circular signed by municipal manager Thandekile Mnyimba and dated January 7, he said there a number of factors that have contributed to the financial situation in the municipality.

He said the municipality collected less than 25% revenue in the first two quarters of the 2020/21 financial year, and drought and the Covid-19 pandemic has further strained the financial resources.

January 11 2021 - 08:20

SAB defends social media campaign against booze ban

SA Breweries has defended its decision to campaign on social media against the government's alcohol ban.

The campaign which, according to a brief purportedly sent by SAB to influencers taking part, indicates that the campaign ran from January 4 and will end on February 4.

SAB told TimesLIVE that while the beer giant stands behind the government and its commitment to fighting the rapid spread of Covid-19 SA is currently experiencing, it strongly disagrees with the introduction of this third outright ban on the sale of alcohol.

January 11 2021 - 07:34

Should Saffas expect a family meeting this week?