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, […]

I have spent quite some time documenting the spread of the deadly Coronavirus, as well as the communities’ response to the lockdown… writes Durban photographer Kierran Allen (who is covering the Lockdown in Durban for SAPeople, with authorisation from SAPS). There are two very different takes on it: and I have witnessed both with my […]

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 […]

This Sunday, Carte Blanche investigates how hundreds of desperate South Africans stuck abroad on almost every continent are dealing with this crisis. You can watch the show on Sunday 5 April in South Africa on DStv Now or stream it overseas in most countries abroad from Tues 7 April on Showmax International. C O V […]

One of the world’s leading news broadcasters, the BBC, has praised South Africa for its “ruthless efficiency” in fighting the coronavirus, and for its “formidable leadership”. “South Africa seems to have acted faster, more efficiently, and more ruthlessly than many other countries around the world,” says the BBC, stating that more than 47,000 have been […]

A singing doctor in America is taking the world by storm, and in a way his inspiration to help people all started with a trip to South Africa a few years ago… which left him feeling “unstoppable”. Dr Elvis Francois (his name really is Elvis!) posted a video a couple of weeks ago from Rochester […]

A South African Police-led operation has ended the occupation by refugees of the Central Methodist Church on Greenmarket Square, writes James Stent for GroundUp. A large contingent of police officers broke down both entrances to the Central Methodist Church on Thursday afternoon, before entering the church as a group. The police appeared to meet very […]

Former Stellenbosch Mayor Conrad Sidego has sadly passed away at the age of 73. DA Leader John Steenhuisen said: “Saddened to hear of the passing of the DA former mayor of Stellenbosch, Conrad Sidego, a man who lived life to the fullest and who had a passion for service. Condolences to his family and friends […]

The Duduza Clinic near Nigel in Ekurhuleni, South Africa, has been shut indefinitely today – Thursday 2 April – following a resident nurse testing positive for Covid-19.  The infected nurse was reportedly among the 859 churchgoers whom attended a prayer meeting – the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast – at the Divine Restoration Ministries in Bloemfontein, earlier […]

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, as of Thursday, stands at 1 462. The Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, announced the increase in cases at Universitas Hospital in the Free State, where he met with the COVID-19 task team in the province. A mass screening and testing is now underway there. […]

Ministers representing the Coronavirus National Command Council updated the nation on revisions to some of the Lockdown regulations on Thursday evening. (It’s still ongoing – watch below.) Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said clarifications and the strengthening and relaxing of some regulations would be ongoing as the government learnt from […]

American singer Chris Mann’s brilliant Adele parody of Hello – his version being “Hello (from the Inside)” – has now been viewed by OVER 6 million people on YouTube since he posted it on 26 March. The reason it’s been so popular worldwide is that everyone can relate! The song begins: “Hello, it’s me, I’m […]

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 […]

The short dragon movie “Zog,” animated by Cape Town’s Triggerfish and voiced by famous actors of film and TV like “Game of Thrones” Kit Harington, has won the International Emmy for Best Kids Animation. The 27-minute short film, produced by Magic Light Pictures and co-directed by South African Daniel Snaddon (“Stick Man”) and two-time Oscar […]

As South Africa enters Day 7 of a nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, Eskom has announced that it will double maintenance work at its plants. “With the COVID-19 national lockdown in full effect, Eskom has experienced a significant reduction in demand for electricity. “Electricity usage has dropped by between 7 500MW and 9 000MW since the lockdown […]

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 […]

Shenzhen has passed a groundbreaking law to ban the consumption and production of dog and cat meat, the first city in China to do so. The ban – which also addresses the wildlife trade – has been welcomed by longtime anti-dog meat trade campaigners Humane Society International as a watershed moment in efforts to ban […]

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 […]

Although the major banks in South Africa have announced they are offering payment relief to their loyal business and personal customers suffering during Lockdown, a video has been going viral on social media in which it is pointed out that using this approximate three-month “payment holiday” (April to June) may not be necessary if you […]

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 […]

Lockdown has hit informal sector workers hard… Shamir Arendse busks for a living, playing his trombone at what is usually a busy intersection in Cape Town. WATCH VIDEO: COVID-19: A busker without an audience in Cape Town Published originally on GroundUp © 2020 GroundUp.

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 […]

Sixteen criminals have been arrested in the CBD since the weekend, mostly for breaking into city centre businesses that are closed due to the national lockdown. Well known Bob’s Bar, Harrington’s, Revelas Fisheries and Liny’s Baby shop were all targeted. CCID Safety & Security manager Mo Hendricks says the crimes were sporadic and opportunistic, and […]