COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES | 'Cuban doctors are not here to take anyone's job': Mkhize

May 11 2020 - 20:56

Essential workers have been hard at work throughout the fight against the pandemic started 

May 11 2020 - 20:42

Nearly 100 new prisoners test positive for Covid-19 in East London prison

Nearly 100 inmates have tested positive for Covid-19 in the East London prison - more than doubling the number of infected prisoners in the Eastern Cape.

There are now 321 confirmed cases in correctional services, among both officials and prisoners.

In a statement on Monday evening, correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo confirmed that the number of inmates infected in the Eastern Cape had climbed from 75 to 173 - with the 98 new Covid-19 infections occurring in the East London facility.

May 11 2020 - 18:37

Electoral commission hints that local government elections may be delayed due to Covid-19

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has hinted that next year's local government elections may be delayed due to Covid-19.

Chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo told a meeting of parliament’s home affairs portfolio committee on Monday that the commission was still considering the impact of the pandemic on the upcoming elections, adding that there were certain consultations that are required before it could come to a definitive position.

At the moment, he said, there were indications that some of its partners were experiencing delays that would have an impact on when those elections might be.

May 11 2020 - 18:07

'Cuban doctors won't take anybody's job, they will work along side SA doctors': Mkhize

May 11 2010

SA to hear government's plans for the rest of the school year on Thursday

South African should know by Thursday what the education department’s plans are regarding the reopening of schools during lockdown.

May 11 2020 - 17:12

Lockdown delinquent charged for trying to run over traffic cop

A 37-year-old Cape Town man refusing to let his freedom of movement be curbed by lockdown regulations has been charged with attempted murder after nearly running over a traffic cop.

"Metro police officers in Delft had their hands full when a suspect reversed into a patrol vehicle, tried to run over officers with his vehicle and fled the scene of the accident," the City of Cape Town's metro police department said on Monday.

"The 37-year-old suspect was arrested for attempted murder, malicious damage to property, fleeing the scene of an accident and failing to comply with a lawful instruction of a peace officer."

May 11 2020 - 17:01

This is why more men than women are dying of Covid-19

Scientists may have cracked the code as to why more men than women are dying of Covid-19, and it comes down to higher concentrations of a certain enzyme in their blood.

The enzyme is called angiotensin-converting enzyme (or ACE2), and heart researchers have found that the novel coronavirus uses it to attack healthy cells.

ACE2 sits on the outside of the cells that Covid-19 attacks, and it acts as a receptor which enables the virus to get in.

May 11 2020 - 17:00

This is why more men than women are dying of Covid-19

Scientists may have cracked the code as to why more men than women are dying of Covid-19, and it comes down to higher concentrations of a certain enzyme in their blood.

The enzyme is called angiotensin-converting enzyme (or ACE2), and heart researchers have found that the novel coronavirus uses it to attack healthy cells.

ACE2 sits on the outside of the cells that Covid-19 attacks, and it acts as a receptor which enables the virus to get in.

May 11 2020 - 16:34

SA's Covid-19 death toll climbs past 200, with 637 new cases reported

The death toll from Covid-19 in SA has climbed past the 200 mark, with 12 new deaths announced on Monday.

There were also 637 new confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country, with more than half of the new cases coming from the Western Cape. There are now a total of 10,652 cases across SA and 206 total deaths.

May 11 2020 - 16:06

Health minister Zweli Mkhize in the Eastern Cape with premier Oscar Mabuyane

May 11 2020 - 15:45

Ban on cigarettes a crucial part of fighting Covid-19: HSRC

The ban on the sale of tobacco is crucial in reducing the spread of Covid-19.

This is according to the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), which recently conducted two online surveys to investigate South Africans’ knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and practices related to the coronavirus.

May 11 2020 - 15:18

Government in talks about possible downgrade to level 3: Bheki Cele

Police minister Bheki Cele has hinted at a looming lockdown downgrade for the country from level 4 to level 3. 

Cele addressed the media in Edenvale, just outside Pietermartizburg,  on Monday during a visit to KwaZulu-Natal to enforce compliance in certain areas. The uMgungundlovu district has the third-highest confirmed cases of Covid-19 in KZN (63) after Ilembe (283) and eThekwini (840). 

May 11 2020 - 15:15

Medical association rejects call to enforce hospital quarantine for Covid-19 patients

The South African Medical Association (Sama) in the Western Cape has rejected a government call to put people who have tested positive for Covid-19 under quarantine in field hospitals.

On Saturday, health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize announced that everyone in the Western Cape who tested positive for Covid-19 would be confined to a hospital if doctors are not satisfied the person can self-isolate properly.

May 11 2020 - 15:10

Cheers and tears as Europe's kids go back to school

Excited children greeted their friends and weary parents got used to early starts again as schools in several European countries reopened after a nearly two-month coronavirus break.

Pupils toted their backpacks for the first time since March in France and the Netherlands as primary schools partially reopened, with strict measures in place to prevent a second wave of the pandemic.

— AFP

May 11 2020 - 14:52

Tens of thousands who do not qualify apply for R350 unemployment grant

The first round of applications for the Covid-19 social relief grant of R350 a month for the unemployed has seen tens of thousands who do not qualify making applications.

This has prompted the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) to clarify the category of people who do qualify for the grant.

Sassa CEO Totsie Memela said on Monday that only people who were unemployed and not benefiting from any other government grant were eligible.

May 11 2020 - 14:23

Here's how to apply for the R350 coronavirus grant

Government has announced new ways of how unemployed South Africans can apply for the Covid-19 social relief of distress grant. 

May 11 2020 - 13:40

11 warders and four more inmates test positive for Covid-19

The correctional services department has recorded 15 new Covid-19 cases.

Spokesperson for the department Singabakho Nxumalo said 10 of the cases emanated from the Eastern Cape, while five were from the Western Cape.

Of the 15 who tested positive, 11 were officials and four were inmates, Nxumalo said.

May 11 2020 - 13:21

Lindiwe Zulu speaks about Covid-19 food parcel controversy

Social development minister Lindiwe Zulu has slammed "selfish" people who are abusing the government's food parcel programme rolled out to provide relief to indigent families during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Food parcel distribution has been rocked by controversy, including allegations of local government officials showing bias towards members or supporters of the governing party.

There have also been allegations about people collecting more than one food parcel at a time, leaving others with nothing.

May 11 2020 - 13:13

Two Mooi River cops in isolation after contact with Covid-19 positive man

Two Mooi River cops have gone into self-isolation after they came into contact with a civilian who has tested positive for Covid-19.

Police spokesperson Brig Vish Naidoo told TimesLIVE that the community service centre was closed after two constables came into contact with a man who had tested positive for the Covid-19 virus on Saturday.

May 11 2020 - 13:06

Level 3 lockdown coming soon? Zweli Mkhize keeps dropping hints

Health minister Zweli Mkhize has hinted that level 3 of the nationwide lockdown could arrive soon.

This comes after Mkhize noted last week that prolonging the lockdown would not have a substantial impact on the possible peak of Covid-19 infections.

Here are three times Mkhize has dropped hints about SA's lockdown future:

May 11 2020 - 12:47

Economic bans, exercise rules fail the test of rationality: Trevor Manuel

Trevor Manuel, the former finance minister now tasked with mobilising international support for Africa’s efforts to address the economic challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, says some of the regulations imposed on South Africans fail the reasonableness test.

While emphasising his support for the government's determination to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Manuel condemned law-enforcement officials for using force during the lockdown, and criticised some of the economic measures that have been implemented.

May 11 2020 - 11:41

SA’s Covid-19 testing strategy needs urgent fixing: here’s how to do it

The Covid-19 epidemic in South Africa is now in its exponential phase, with cases rapidly increasing in many areas.

This is most apparent in the Western Cape, which could be due to higher rates of testing per capita, coupled with a more selective testing strategy than in other provinces.

The doubling time of mortality in the Cape Town metro is now eight to nine days, indicating a rapid increase in the number of severe cases and deaths from Covid-19.

-The Conversation

May 11 2020 - 10:47

Lost dreams, financial stress: KZN salon owner on lockdown disaster

She has dipped into her savings, relies on a single income and does not know whether her business will survive.

Thando Msomi says her future is murky as she tries to navigate the unknown during the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown.

Msomi owns The Posh Parlour, a beauty salon in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal.

May 11 2020 - 10:40

1,305 recoveries in Gauteng  as cases near 2,000 

Gauteng’s health department said on Monday morning the province had recorded 22 Covid-19 deaths and 1,305 recoveries.

Department spokesperson Kwara Kekana said the number of confirmed cases had increased to 1,952 as of Sunday. 

May 11 2020 - 10:35

Ramaphosa warns 'restive citizens' of a new Covid-19 reality, for a year at least

President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged South Africans to be prepared for a new reality in which the fight against Covid-19 will be part of their daily lives.

In his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa said South Africans should be prepared to live with the virus for a year or even more.

“Our success in overcoming the coronavirus will ultimately be determined by the changes we make in our behaviour.

May 11 2020 - 08:53

Sassa to reopen its doors on Monday

The SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) in Gauteng was expected to reopen its doors for the first time since the start of the nationwide lockdown on Monday.

This is according to spokesperson, Paseka Letsatsi, who said limited services would be offered.

“Only a third of employees will return to work so Sassa services on offer will be limited. The numbers of clients served at local offices will be very limited to ensure social distancing and general compliance with the laws,” he said in a statement.

May 11 2020 - 08:35

More than R9bn paid out in UIF Covid-19 claims

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has paid 123,767 employers Covid-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) benefits totalling R9,474,081 937.26.

May 11 2020 - 08:03

JMPD denies reports that officers must buy their own masks

The Johannesburg metro police department (JMPD) has denied reports that officers were forced to buy their own masks during the Covid-19 outbreak in the country.

JMPD spokesperson Wayne Minnaar said on May 1 the department received 5,000 masks from a non-governmental organisation.

He said “every officer” who was on duty on that day each received two masks.

May 11 2020 - 08:02

What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

Here's what you need to know about the novel coronavirus right now:

Second wave alarm

South Korean officials are scrambling to track down thousands of people after a small cluster of coronavirus cases emerged around several Seoul nightclubs.

The new outbreak, which has sent infections rebounding to a one-month high, comes just as the government was transitioning from intensive social distancing to measures around "distancing in daily life".

-REUTERS

May 11 2020 - 07:00

KZN looks to game reserves for Covid-19 quarantine beds

KwaZulu-Natal game reserves could be used to house the province’s Covid-19 patients, premier Sihle Zikalala said on Sunday.

In a statement, Zikalala said that the province was talking to provincial wildlife authority KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife about the use of their lodges should extra quarantine facilities be needed.

“These facilities can be made available within 48 hours on receipt of an official order,” said Zikalala.

May 11 2020 - 07:00

WATCH | Sanitising by the numbers: What it takes to keep Covid-19 at bay in Gauteng

As SA prepared to enter a nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of the coronavirus, the Scientology Volunteer Minister's group, prepared to play a part in fighting the spread of the virus.

As of March 14, the Kyalami based group has decontaminated the equivalent of 668 football fields, for a total of 3 496 996 square metres.

The decontamination project is entirely orchestrated and funded by the group and it's members.

May 11 2020 - 06:00

Ronald Lamola on prison overcrowding, rehabilitation & equipping inmates with skills

Justice minister Ronald Lamola on Friday afternoon briefed the media about the decision to grant parole to 19,000 prisoners in an effort to ease overcrowding in prisons and curb the spread of Covid-19 among officers and inmates. 

The parole dispensation will apply to low-risk offenders and excludes inmates serving terms for serious crimes including child abuse and sexual offences.