South African photojournalist Tom Brown, who is usually based between India and South Africa, ventured out into Tshwane on Wednesday to bring SAPeople readers a snapshot of the city under lockdown. (Tom is an accredited photographer with permission to carry out this assignment during lockdown.) Pick n’ Pay are putting up perspex screens to safeguard […]

A small chartered plane from Zimbabwe that had not been authorised to land at O.R. Tambo International Airport during the lockdown and was carrying only one passenger, an Italian-South African, was told to return to Harare after police intervened. The plane landed at midday on Wednesday, according to the Department of Transport, and the passenger […]

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has rescinded the directions allowing 100% loading capacity for taxis with immediate effect. The decision follows concerns raised about the 100% loading capacity and the utilisation of masks as a mitigation measure. “The public was without comfort with these measures and urged that we reconsider. After our announcement of catering for […]

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize last night conveyed his condolences to the family of a 45-year-old teacher from Platt Drive Primary in Isipingo, who passed away on Tuesday after testing positive several days ago to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Speaking on Wednesday evening, the Minister urged all South Africans to please stay home and said, with […]

Plans by the Gauteng Department of Social Development to house homeless people at public school hostels have been halted by the Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools (FEDSAS). FEDSAS says their members were not consulted and raised several concerns about how this move would impact those schools. On 25 March, the department released […]

Tributes have poured in for award-winning scientist Professor Gita Ramjee, who passed away on Tuesday in an Umhlanga hospital in KZN, South Africa, from the novel Coronavirus COVID-19. According to local reports, Prof Ramjee had complications arising from asthma and pneumonia. Her sister Asmita Parashar, who is based in India, said on Twitter: “My sister, the […]

Ironman Europe has taken to social media to highlight the incredible achievement of a South African woman who  ran 316 laps at home (along with swimming and cyling) in her determination to raise money for a friend’s wheelchair, no matter what. On Sunday 29 March, Charlotte Raubenheimer was meant to line up at Hobie Beach […]

Nothing brings out the humour in human beings quite like a calamity. After the terrible reality has sent in – months in lockdown? – the jokesters start coming out. And do we need them! Here is the latest batch of memes and jokes about the Coronavirus and the lockdowns around the world, some of the […]

The first planeload of foreign nationals being repatriated back to their homeland has taken off from South Africa, following Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula’s announcement yesterday that amendments would be made to the Lockdown regulations, allowing for the repatriation of foreigners back to their countries, and of South African citizens and residents abroad, back home on […]

Mary Oppenheimer-Slack, the daughter of former Anglo American chairman Harry Oppenheimer, and her daughters have contributed R1 billion to the Solidarity Fund created to fight the spread of the Coronavirus in South Africa. “We join all South Africans in expressing our profound hope that, together, we can overcome this grave challenge to South Africa and […]

Welcome to the Lock Up/Down Cartoon. As we are going to be cooped up at home for the next few weeks, Piet Frans (aka Pieter Kruger) has decided we should still try have some fun. Kruger is a former lawyer who spent 13 years in The Hague prosecuting war criminals at the Yugoslav War Crimes […]

As the number of fatalities from Coronavirus went up to 4, possibly 5, the increase in the number of positive cases rose only slightly on the previous day, by 46, according to the latest briefing on the pandemic by the Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize. Despite the unexpectedly low rate of increase – 1,353 cases […]

Although our current three-week lockdown will temporarily suppress transmission in the South African epidemic, it won’t eradicate it. And if we just go back to business as usual, we will have endured the lockdown for nothing, writes Alex Welte. Those of us trying to model the Covid-19 pandemic should try to be humble; there is […]

South Africans stranded abroad will be allowed to fly home, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has confirmed at a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon. At the same briefing, DIRCO Minister Naledi Pandor asked those South Africans abroad who are not stranded or distressed to please consider rather remaining where they are. She said that data collected […]

With over 38,000 people worldwide who have died from Coronavirus, South Africans are urged to take the current lockdown seriously. Watch live below as Ministers representing the COVID -19 National Command Council update the nation on the status of the COVID 19 lockdown in South Africa. WATCH Inter-ministerial committee media briefing on COVID-19

For South Africans stranded abroad, and their distraught families back home, there is hope… as DIRCO, the DA and other organisations – including SAPeople – work together like never before in what is now “truly an SA Project”. In an exclusive interview on Tuesday morning, DA Shadow Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Darren Bergman, […]

The publishing and internet giant Naspers has donated R1.5 billion to the government’s effort to fight the Coronavirus, it was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa last night, after three other contributions of R1 billion each were made by captains of business. Naspers said in a statement that R500 million would go to the Solidarity Response […]

Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, has called for harsh action against men who raped and murdered a woman, after allegedly posing as soldiers deployed for the 21-day lockdown. “I am deeply concerned about criminals who take advantage of the national lockdown to rob and murder innocent citizens. We want women and […]

Two elderly people tragically passed away on Monday in South Africa  while queuing for what was the first day of grant payments to the elderly and to people with disabilities. “I express my deepest and heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the deceased. Both of them were confirmed to be social grant beneficiaries […]

The Gauteng Health Department has confirmed a COVID-19 case in Alexandra, Johannesburg. “The confirmed case, was tested and was instructed to remain under self-isolation while awaiting results,” said the department on Monday. According to the provincial department, the man who has tested and was subsequently found to be infected with the virus, disregarded instructions to […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation on Monday, Day 4 of the unprecedented 21-day Lockdown in the country to fight the Coronavirus 19 COVID-pandemic. He reassured those South Africans abroad that he is aware of their plight, and told South Africans back home that a major new testing and screening drive is about to be […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the nation on the measures currently being undertaken to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The address by the President follows a meeting of the National Command Council on Sunday, 29 March 2020, which assessed the efficacy of the national lockdown which came into effect on Thursday 26 March 2020. WATCH VIDEO: Coronavirus […]

As South Africa is experiencing its 21-day lockdown, Durban photographer Kierran Allen has ventured out for SAPeople to capture the surreal scenes of the usually busy KwaZulu-Natal beach resort. Kierran says after the President’s “inspirational speech and strong show of leadership”, he has noticed a divide in society between those who are conforming and adhering […]

Dear President Cyril Ramaphosa, We commend you and your government for the bold and decisive public health measures that you have taken in response to the crisis precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We welcome measures to stem the spread of the virus. We are writing to you to suggest other measures that are urgently required […]

Could all South Africans stranded abroad who would like to get home please do the following: If you are in the UK: Please URGENTLY send your names and passport numbers to the SA Ambassador in London, Her Excellency Tembi Tambo: Tambon@dirco.gov.za Wherever you are: Send a short concise email explaining your location and predicament to: […]