South Africans who have found themselves stranded and destitute in London, when their flights home were cancelled on or around 26 March (when Lockdown began at midnight on that Thursday), are to be repatriated to South Africa. After we received several queries on Wednesday morning, DIRCO spokesperson Penny Ehlers confirmed to SAPeople that an SAA […]

Homeless people at the Strandfontein Sports Grounds, Cape Town, were shot at with rubber bullets by police after they began to protest about conditions at the tent camp set up as part of the national lockdown to disrupt the spread of Covid-19. The protest possibly broke out after some people who were moved to the […]

DIRCO Minister Naledi Pandor has asked South Africans stranded abroad to please be patient as the Department of International Relations is doing all it can under unprecedented and challenging circumstances to arrange for them to be repatriated. “It’s a very difficult situation,” Pandor told 702 on Tuesday evening. “Travel arrangements are difficult. Communication is difficult. […]

South Africa’s Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says as of Tuesday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is 1 749. The Minister also expressed concern about the high number of positive cases of coronavirus at St Augustine’s Hospital in Durban, KZN, where staff and patients have been infected. “There is also another death, bringing the […]

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reportedly in “good spirits” after being transferred to the ICU unit at St Thomas’ Hospital in London last night. According to the BBC, a spokesperson for the 55-year-old PM confirmed that Johnson is being given oxygen but is not on a ventilator. His condition overnight was described as “stable”. […]

South African singer David Kramer’s hit song ‘Welcome to Cape Town’ just got a Corona twist with new lyrics. #TsekCorona! is a music video with a positive stay-at-home message from South Africa during the country’s Covid-19 lockdown. The song is performed by the KaapKreools Collective featuring Emo Adams and Loukmaan Adams (vocals), David Kramer (guitar), […]

The British High Commission in South Africa announced on Sunday chartered flights for its citizens and permanent residents from SA back to the UK, pending approval from the SA government. There is a chance that these flights may also be used by South Africans stranded in the UK to head back to their families in […]

American President Donald Trump on Monday offered US medical help to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was last night – at around 19h00 local time – moved into intensive care at a London hospital, where he is suffering from Coronavirus. President Trump said he had asked four US medical companies to contact London to […]

Three men in Amanzimtoti, South Africa, had a miracle escape – missing death by inches – when a speeding car ploughed straight through the front of a busy petrol station. As the shocking video below shows, just 10 seconds earlier the two customers had been walking in the exact spot where the VW Golf smashed […]

On Monday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Africa rose to 1 686 – an increase of 31 from the previously reported cases, with one new death reported. Gauteng still leads the pack with the highest number of cases at 713, followed by the Western Cape at 462 and KwaZulu-Natal with 257. […]

South African media outlet News24 has apologised for publishing a false news story that claimed American philanthropist and Microsoft founder Bill Gates wants to test a vaccine in Africa. News24 admitted in a tweet on Sunday evening: “On Saturday, we published a story about philanthropist Bill Gates’ support for SA with Covid-19. We wrongly reported […]

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has announced that as of Sunday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is 1 655, with 11 confirmed deaths. The Minister said this is an increase of 70 cases from the previous update issued on Saturday. Gauteng remains the province with the highest number of cases with 704, followed by […]

Police Minister Bheki Cele has welcomed the dramatic reduction in serious and violent crimes in South Africa during the country’s lockdown to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement issued on Sunday, Cele said indications were this was due to, among others, the prohibition of the sale and movement of liquor since the nationwide lockdown […]

Western Cape amateur film maker Gershwin Williams has captured haunting footage of Cape Town under lockdown, during South Africa’s 21-day Lockdown. Gershwin says: “A dose of my experiences in and around Cape Town, South Africa.” Gershwin was able to capture the scenes of desolation because “I have an essential services permit, so I took my […]

Check out this new song performed by the award-winning Drakensberg Boys Choir called Ubuhle Bendalo which means The Beauty of Nature in Zulu. The music and lyrics are by composer and conductor  Sivuyile Scott; and has been adapted by Bernard Krüger and Tobias Stückelberger. (See lyrics beneath the video.) Grade 9 learner Samkelo Mdakane delivers […]

The Gauteng Health Department has called for donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators. The call comes as South Africa marked day 9 of the 21-day national lockdown aimed at stopping the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). “The fight against COVID-19 requires a joint effort by all sectors of society. This includes the increasing of […]

With an urgent need for medical supplies and equipment to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, African Union (AU) Member States have called for international cooperation and support. The call was made in a teleconference convened by AU Chairperson President Cyril Ramaphosa. “Lifesaving supplies, including PPEs [personal protective equipment] masks, gowns, and ventilators and other support devices […]

Dear Family and Friends, On an early morning emergency dash to collect supplies I was anxious about venturing out and what I would see. It was Day 5 of Zimbabwe’s 21-day Coronavirus lockdown and I knew that by now people who live hand to mouth and eke out a living selling fruit and vegetables from […]

Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola has appointed Justice Catherine (Kate) O’Regan as the COVID-19 Designated Judge. Government will report on a weekly basis to the former Constitutional Court Justice the particulars of those who have been traced using cell phone data. The move is aimed at finding the contacts of those who test […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his condolences at the passing of Freedom Front Plus founding leader and former Chief of the then South African Defence Force, General Constand Viljoen. Aged 86, Viljoen passed away peacefully on Friday afternoon at his farm in Ohrigstad, Mpumalanga. The President offered his sincere condolences to Risti Viljoen and the […]

As rating agency Fitch announced its decision to downgrade South Africa from ‘BB+’ to ‘BB’, placing the country further into non-investment grade, the SA government has emphasised its commitment to implement structural economic reforms. In a statement on Friday, government said it has noted the decision by the agency. In its decision, Fitch cited the […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling for an end to “arbitrary limitations” on what can be sold in stores that are open in South Africa during the lockdown. The confusion around what are considered “essential items” in grocery stores, pharmacies and the like, is unhelpful and should be ended, says the DA. “I will write […]

Welcome to the Lock Up/Down Cartoon by Piet Frans (aka Pieter Kruger). If you missed the first few days, view Day 1-5 of the Lockdown cartoon here. By Piet Frans (aka Pieter Kruger) – a former lawyer who spent 13 years in The Hague prosecuting war criminals at the Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal. Now retired, […]

Two more elderly people have sadly passed away in KwaZulu-Natal, where South Africa’s coronavirus mortality is at its highest, according to a Covid-19 update by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize. The Minister said a gentleman aged 80 passed away on 1 April, and an 81-year-old female on 2 April. “Both didn’t have a history of travelling […]

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation says it is pleased to announce that 16 South Africans who were stranded in Dubai and Doha, respectively, have been successfully repatriated back to South Africa.   They arrived yesterday, 02 April 2020, following the announcement by the President of the relaxation of the restrictions to allow South […]