South Africa has achieved a proud milestone after over 10 million people have been tested for COVID-19 to date, the Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, announced. According to the Minister, 24 594 people were tested on Wednesday, which pushes the total number to 10 020 025 since the outbreak. Meanwhile, the country logged 756 new […]

Africa should be able to have the capacity to manufacture and distribute its own biotechnology to develop vaccines as COVID-19 continues to sweep the globe, says South African Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize. Speaking during the webinar on World Health Day on Wednesday, Dr Mkhize said depending on other continents should be the thing of […]

Housing activists demand answers eight months after Sisulu’s budget vote announcement… By Liezl Human In July 2020 Minister of Human Settlements Lindiwe Sisulu announced during her budget vote speech that R600 million would be allocated towards rent relief for tenants facing “financial distress” due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Eight months later, no money or information about […]

South Africa has signed a deal for the procurement of 20 million doses of Pfizer vaccines. According to the announcement made by Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, payment processes are also underway to close the deal in the next few days. In addition, with the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) agreement also fully concluded, Mkhize believes […]

South Africans have donated over half a million rand today, in just eight hours, to help save the life of much loved Doctor Sindi van Zyl. Dr Sindi, a general practitioner and public figure in SA, has been fighting Covid-19 over the past few weeks. Update 10 April 2021: Dr Sindi van Zyl has sadly […]

The recovery rate in South Africa for patients with Covid-19 is holding steady at 95%, as the Health Department reports that almost 1,5-million people in South Africa (1 473 588) have beaten Covid-19! The total number of healthcare workers who have now been vaccinated is 251 707 as of 30 March 2020 as the country […]

Much to the relief of many South Africans, SA is to remain on Alert Level 1 with just a few minor adjustments, including that alcohol may not be purchased off-site during the Easter Weekend. But South Africans can purchase and consume alcohol at restaurants, shebeens and bars. Given the relatively low transmission levels, President Cyril […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that South Africa has secured 30 million Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, 220 million jabs which will leave the Aspen Pharmacare’s production line will be spread throughout the African continent. The President made the announcement when he and his Deputy, David Mabuza, visited the Aspen Pharmacare sterile […]

A total of 24 256 COVID-19 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, with 965 new cases identified, representing a 4% positivity rate. Meanwhile, a further 15 COVID-19 related deaths were reported on Sunday, bringing the tally to 52 663 to date. Of the latest fatalities, six are from KwaZulu-Natal, four from Mpumalanga, three […]

As travel restrictions remain in place globally for anyone who tests COVID-19 positive, a black market in fake negative test results is flourishing, including in South Africa where criminals are seeking to profit from people’s desperation to resume normal life amid the pandemic. Tonight on Carte Blanche, the current affairs show investigates a local supplier […]

“South Africa has squandered the opportunity to protect half a million of its most vulnerable citizens”… By Michael Cherry A group of eminent South African physicians has published an article in the South African Medical Journal that is highly critical of the government reselling AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccines to the African Union (AU). They include one […]

South Africa’s COVID-19 death toll has increased by 163 deaths on Thursday, which brings the tally to 52 535 since the outbreak. According to Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, 71 fatalities occurred in Limpopo, 37 in the North West, 24 in Gauteng and 16 in the Northern Cape. Three provinces recorded single-digit deaths, nine of which […]

The South African Health Department has confirmed that Professor Salim Abdool Karim has stepped down from the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) on COVID-19, with effect from 23 March 2021. His resignation is exactly one year since he chaired the committee. Abdool Karim led a team of top scientists, who have been of support to the […]

South Africa logged 85 more COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the tally to 52 196 since the outbreak, said Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize. Of the latest fatalities, 70 were reportedly from KwaZulu-Natal, seven from the Western Cape, five from Gauteng, two from Free State and one from the Eastern Cape. “We convey our condolences to the […]

South Africa has only administered 182 983 doses of Covid-19 vaccine, meaning we are hopelessly missing even our unambitious target of vaccinating 1 million healthcare workers by the end of March. By now we should have vaccinated 710 000, meaning we’re missing our unambitious target by 75%… writes John Steenhuisen MP – DA Federal Leader. […]

With some (but not all) countries in the European Union temporarily suspending the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine as a precautionary measure – based on reports of rare blood coagulation disorders (blood clots) in some people who had received the vaccine – the World Health Organisation (WHO) has released the following statement. “Vaccination against […]

South Africa’s COVID-19 cases have increased to 1 532 497 after 1 531 people were confirmed to have contracted the virus on Wednesday. Meanwhile, 74 more people succumbed to the infectious disease, which brings the death toll to 51 634. Of the latest fatalities, 38 are from Gauteng, 15 from the Free State, seven from Mpumalanga, six from […]

Tanzanian President John Magufuli has died at the age of 61 at a hospital in Dar es Salaam, according to his vice president who announced it on state television on Wednesday. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed condolences and “deep sadness” for the passing of President John Pombe Magufuli. President Ramaphosa said: “South Africa is […]

South Africa now has 1 529 420 confirmed COVID-19 cases after 1 006 people were confirmed to have contracted the virus in the last 24 hours. According to the latest data, the new infections represent a 4% positivity rate. Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, confirmed that 65 patients lost the battle to the respiratory disease, pushing the […]

In line with several countries around the world, South Africa’s National State of Disaster has been extended to mid-April. Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has gazetted the extension. In a statement on Thursday, the Ministry of CoGTA said this means that the current measures contained in the regulations to save […]

The contracts of more than 5,000 Community Healthcare Workers (CHW) in the Eastern Cape will be terminated at the end of March… writes Mkhuseli Sizani. The contracts of over 5,000 community health workers in the Eastern Cape will be terminated at the end of March. The provincial health department says it has run out of […]

Health Minister, Dr Zwelini Mkhize, says the South African government remains committed to vaccinate 65% of the population, or 40 million people, as per the original plan by the end of the year to help the country reach herd immunity. Answering oral questions before the National Assembly on Wednesday, Mkhize said: “We are still targeting […]

The first substantial peer-reviewed clinical trial of the drug against Covid-19 finds no evidence that it is a wonder medicine. By Elsabé Brits. A study in Columbia of 398 people with mild Covid-19 symptoms found that ivermectin offered no statistically significant benefit over placebo. This is the first peer-reviewed large clinical trial of the drug […]

The South African government on Sunday announced a further 31 Coronavirus-related deaths and 862 new cases. The latest numbers are down from the 1 227 new cases and 81 deaths reported on Saturday. Of the latest fatalities, 12 occurred in Gauteng, 11 in the Western Cape, four in Mpumalanga and two each in the Free […]

Today marks exactly a year to the day that South Africa confirmed its first COVID-19 case. On 5 March 2020, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, announced the news of a 38-year-old COVID-19 patient from KwaZulu-Natal. The man tested positive after a ski trip in Italy with his wife and eight others, sending shock waves through […]