According to the Gauteng Health Department sub-district figures for Covid-19 cases, the following areas have the highest flare-up of cases of Covid-19 in Gauteng – Sandton, Alexandra, Orange Grove and Houghton.   Johannesburg accounted for 712 (59%) out of 1199 infections in Gauteng as at 21 April. Highest Cases of Coronavirus to Lowest in Joburg […]

The Executive Director of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) Health Emergencies Programme, Michael Ryan, has again praised South Africa for its strategy in handling the coronavirus pandemic. The Irishman said there has been a “tremendous amount of innovation going on in Africa in general” and specifically honed in on South Africa. Ryan said: “Again it […]

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has provided more details on the second set of measures that are aimed at assisting individuals and businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic. “There is a critical need for government interventions to assist with job retention and support businesses that may be experiencing significant distress,” the National Treasury said in a statement […]

Five suspects aged between 23 and 26 will appear in Sasolburg Magistrate court on Friday, 24 April 2020, on a charge of business burglary. The incident happened at Katleho Mpumelelo Senior Secondary School, one of many South African schools that have been broken into during Lock-down. The value of stolen items from the Katleho school […]

South Africans who have found themselves stranded in Thailand have compiled a video begging for help to get home. From battling cancer to depression, these are fellow South Africans in urgent need of assistance… Their messages are heartbreaking. WATCH VIDEO: South Africans stuck in Thailand during lockdown Yesterday, South Africans stranded in Indonesia also compiled […]

The COVID-19 lockdown has seen crime decrease significantly since the introduction of the National State of Disaster regulations, says Police Minister Bheki Cele. Speaking in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday, the Minister expressed satisfaction at inroads made by law enforcement agencies across SA since the regulations were gazetted last month. The regulations were introduced in an effort […]

The Joint Standing Committee on Defence has unanimously supported the employment of an additional 73,180 members of the South African National Defence Force to assist the SA government’s intervention in the fight against #COVID19. Committee chairperson Cyril Xaba said the committee is satisfied by the reasons given by President Cyril Ramaphosa and the necessity to […]

South Africa has 3 635 confirmed COVID-19 cases, the Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, announced on Wednesday. This is an increase of 170 cases from the previous night. In a statement, Mkhize confirmed that seven more COVID-19 related deaths had been recorded, bringing the total number to 65. Five of the deaths occurred in […]

Desperate South Africans, stranded in Indonesia, have compiled a video pleading for help to get home to SA. (Please see bottom of page for urgent info if you’re stuck in the region.) The video beings with a three-year-old begging governments to “let Daddy come back”. Her dad, a ship engineeris one of those stranded in […]

A director of the board of Brand South Africa and ANC councillor has been suspended after allegations of breaking the lockdown by having a birthday party with friends. At the same time, 131 security force members, councillors and government officials have been arrested for violation the Coronavirus regulations. Tebogo Mamorobela was suspended pending an investigation […]

Many South Africans are feeling despondent, nervous about the unemployment ahead and wondering what the covid-19 ‘fuss’ was about… not realising that “only” 58 dead is because the President made a brave call for an early lockdown, averting the tragic fatal statistics seen in countries like Italy and Spain. And last night, watching President Cyril […]

After a slow start, production has been ramped up… writes Raymond Joseph, from GroundUp. A race against the clock is underway to source vitally needed masks and other personal protection equipment (PPE) for health workers at the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic. With South Africa able to only produce 10% of the medical-grade masks it […]

Police in Gauteng have launched the 72-hour Activation Plan to find the suspects behind the killing of a Sebokeng-based Detective Sergeant. National Police Commissioner, General Khehla Sitole, has assigned the Gauteng Provincial Commissioner to immediately mobilise the 72-hour plan. According to a police report, at about 7:10pm, the police official had just been picked up […]

North West Premier, Professor Job Mokgoro, is today visiting Blydeville and Boikhutso townships near Lichtenburg, following a violent community protest. The protest on Tuesday led to the torching of two police vehicles and an ambulance. It is believed that the community protest was sparked by the death of two children, after allegedly being hit by […]

A worldwide pandemic and a whole lot of social distancing couldn’t keep South African wheelchair athlete Ernst Francois van Dyk away from participating – albeit differently – in the 2020 Boston Marathon, which was scheduled to have taken place on Monday (20 April). While the prestigious marathon itself has been postponed, Ernst joined 64 other […]

The physical distancing measures announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 15 March followed by an extended lockdown may have bought us time to prepare for Covid-19. Good leadership has helped the response, but the current lockdown is not sustainable. In city centres and middle-class suburbs there is largely adherence, but in many marginalised areas the lockdown […]

The Eastern Cape is gearing up for its fight against COVID-19 with the province boosting its hospital capacity. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize paid the Eastern Cape a visit on Tuesday where he met with the Premier Oscar Mabuyane and Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba. Mkhize was taken through the province’s contingency plans to fight the outbreak […]

Numbers tell stories. Usually, stories of people – often happy stories, like births, marriages, finishing school, getting a degree, getting a job. Even paying taxes. Sometimes they tell sad stories – death, divorce, disease, liquidations. Statistics do not provide a cold or inanimate way of dealing with the world – they are one key part […]

In an effort to curb COVID-19 infections, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has dispersed 1265 tankers and 134 water trucks throughout the Free State province. This is to ensure people are able to wash their hands, a critical measure in preventing the spread of the virus. The department is not only supplying municipalities […]

South Africa’s confirmed COVID-19 cases now stands at 3 465 as of Tuesday. The total number of tests conducted are 126 937 of which 5 427 were done in the last 24 hours. Provincial breakdown is as follows: Gauteng – 1199 Western Cape – 1010 KwaZulu-Natal – 671 Eastern Cape – 345 Free State – […]

Even the opposition party – the Democratic Alliance (DA) – has welcomed President Ramaphosa’s announcement on Tuesday night of a suite of economic support measures to counteract the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on individual South Africans, on businesses and on the SA economy as a whole. Announcing a R500-billion extraordinary budget for coronavirus response, […]

A shopkeeper, one of his customers, and a former police officer – who they call their ‘Godmother’ – have been keeping people in Merriespruit, Free State, feeling merry with generous hand-outs of food parcels during South Africa’s lockdown. The three unlikely amigos in Virginia have been helping put food on the table, and a smile […]

Here are the details for the final repatriation flight from Europe for South Africans stuck abroad. Please pass on to any South Africans you know in the region (including the UK and Ireland) who may want to make their way to Germany to fly home. South Africans in Egypt are also advised to urgently contact […]

The One World, Together at Home global concert – organised to raise funds to fight the COVID-19 pandemic – has raised over US$127 million. The eight-hour concert which took place on Saturday – and featured South African DJ Black Coffee – was co-organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) with Global Citizen’s Hugh Evans and […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation this evening – Tuesday, 21 April 2020 – on additional economic and social relief measures that form part of the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The President’s address comes as a result of recent deliberations at Cabinet, the National Coronavirus Command Council, the President’s Coordinating Council, and […]