COVID-19 WRAP | More than 40 new Covid-19 deaths in SA as cases jump to 138,134

June 28 2020 20:43

Mbalula pleads with taxis to rethink 100% capacity announcement

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula on Sunday evening pleaded with the taxi industry to reconsider its announcement that taxis would operate at full capacity from Monday.

The SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) announced earlier in the day that taxis would run at 100% capacity, long-distance taxis would resume operations and it also rejected the government’s offer of R1.315bn in Covid-19 relief.

Santaco president Phillip Taaibosch made the announcement after Mbalula postponed a meeting with the taxi council.

June 28 2020 19:26

More than 40 new Covid-19 deaths in SA as cases rise to 138,134

South Africa recorded 43 Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 2,456.

Health department revealed on Sunday that the country's infections increased to 138,134.

June 28 2020 16:11

Taxis reject Mbalula's R1.135bn relief offer and vow to start operating at full capacity

All taxis will operate at full capacity from Monday, the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) vowed on Sunday, as it rejected relief funds offered by the government.

“We have decided to take the bull by the horns. We cannot have postponements on our livelihoods,” Santaco president Phillip Taaibosch told reporters.

“We have decided that all provincial structures will from Monday, load 100% capacity ——whether the minister approves, or not. All long-distance taxis must resume operation. No permits will be wanted from passengers in long distance taxis,” he added.

June 28 2020 15:56

Oxygen demand surges in Gauteng as Covid-19 cases rise

The Gauteng health department has seen an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases over the past two weeks, resulting in a high demand for oxygen and ventilators, it said on Sunday.

The total number of confirmed cases in the province on Saturday stood at 34,285, with 8,580 recoveries and 166 deaths.

June 28 2020 15:39

Lab service dismisses fears about 'false negative' Covid-19 tests

The National Health Laboratory Service has dismissed claims that there is no clinical value in the health department's strategy to test Covid-19 swabs jammed in the backlog.

A group of scientists from Wits University and the University of Cape Town released a public statement last week in which they said the chances of false negatives were too high with older samples.

June 28 2020 12:59

Mbalula to provide further clarity on aviation 

June 28 2020 - 11:20

77-year-old among group arrested for forcefully removing pupils from schools due to Covid-19 fears

Mpumalanga police arrested 13 people, including a 77-year-old pensioner and a councillor at Seabe village in Mmametlhake, for allegedly trying to forcefully remove pupils from schools out of fear they would contract Covid-19.

Classes for grade 7 and 12 pupils resumed on June 8 across the country.

The group allegedly connived with each other and went to the Dikotelo Combined, Ramoshidi and Seabe High schools in Seabe village, where they were allegedly found driving around in two cars on the school premises. The group allegedly disrupted teaching and learning and pulled children from classes on Thursday.

June 28 2020 - 10:19

Covid-19 infections spike by more than 7,000 in one day

The total number of Covid-19 deaths stood at 2,413 on Saturday, with 131,800 confirmed cases.

This is a 7,210 jump in the number of confirmed cases from the last report by the national health department.

June 28 2020 - 09:17

Treating TB in the time of Covid-19

Santaco to brief media on taxi inustry stance on Covid-19 relief debacle after Mbalula rain checked twice 

June 28 2020 - 06:20

Santaco is expected to outline a way foward in resolving differences between the council and government after transport minister Fikile Mbalula postponed his meeting with the taxi industry on two occassions.