The proliferation of fake news about the COVID-19 pandemic has been labelled a dangerous “infodemic”. Fake news spreads faster and more easily today through the internet, social media and instant messaging. These messages may contain useless, incorrect or even harmful information and advice, which can hamper the public health response and add to social disorder […]

In the latest coronavirus update in South Africa, confirmed by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Sunday evening 22 March 2020 – the country had 34 new cases that tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, bringing the current total to 274. According to the NCID (National Institute of Communicable Diseases), South Africa has tested 9,315 people. […]

South African Olympic gold medallist Chad le Clos is back in Cape Town after his Olympic training preparations were thrown into disarray due to Covid-19. Le Clos, gold medallist in the 200m butterfly at London 2012 and awaiting news whether his 200m freestyle silver from Rio 2016 is going to be converted into gold, had […]

World famous Spanish opera singer Plácido Domingo is the latest celebrity to announce he has tested positive for the coronavirus. The 79-year-old announced his diagnosis on Sunday, posting the following message on Facebook: “I feel it is my moral duty to announce to you that I have tested positive for COVID19, the Corona virus. “My […]

Hollywood movie producer and recently convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein, who is serving 23 years for third-degree rape and sexual assault, has reportedly tested positive for Coronavirus. According to reports, Weinstein was moved from Rikers Island in New York City into isolation at Wende Correctional Facility near Buffalo in New York state on Wednesday. It’s believed […]

South Africa’s The Kiffness has created an awesome version of Toto’s Africa that’s going viral faster than a virus! The Kiffness’ David Scott posted the brilliant video on Sunday, saying: “Please stay home South Africa #FlattenTheCurve” (For more info on flattening the curve, see below the video.) He calls the video “Toto – Africa (COVID-19 […]

Check out this adorable three-year-old South African child – Ibanathi Mpungose – teaching the nation how to prevent Coronavirus, in her very passionate manner. South Africans are loving her! The video, shared by her father, has gone viral – watched by over 36,000 people on Instagram; and shared on Twitter by the likes of DJ […]

The Presidency says it welcomes the announcement by the Rev Kenneth Meshoe, leader of the African Christian Democratic Party, that he has been tested for the coronavirus, COVID-19. Rev Meshoe was among leaders of political parties represented in Parliament who met President Ramaphosa in Cape Town on Tuesday, 17 March 2020. Rev Meshoe has since […]

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation, following his meetings today, has been postponed to tomorrow. Jackson Mthembu, Minister in the Presidency, explained that President Ramaphosa has decided to rather conclude the meetings he is having, before addressing the nation – so that he has all the facts and knowledge. Mthembu said it […]

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) will pay social grants to older persons and persons with disabilities from 30 and 31 March 2020. Other beneficiaries will be able to access their grants from 01 April 2020. The social security agency’s decision to pay grants earlier is in response to the State of National Disaster […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s programme for today, Sunday 22 March 2020, is dedicated to key engagements around South Africa’s national state of disaster triggered by the outbreak of the coronavirus… and will culminate with the President addressing the nation after chairing a meeting with the National Command Council in which they will discuss whether current measures […]

I woke up really early this morning. It’s a general restlessness I suppose, an unsettling of self… writes well known South African author and former radio and TV presenter Tracy Going. I went to bed last night fitful with the uncertainty of the future. So instead of lying in bed fretting this morning, I decided […]

South Africa’s most famous hotelier, Solomon ‘Sol’ Kerzner, has passed away today – 21 March 2020 – at the age of 84, after a lengthy battle with cancer. According to Sun International, Kerzner was at his home in Leeukoppie Estate in Cape Town, surrounded by his family. His family have reportedly said that Kerzner requested […]

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a messaging service – WHO Health Alert – with partners, WhatsApp and Facebook to keep people safe from Coronavirus. This easy-to-use messaging service has the potential to reach two billion people and enables WHO to get information directly into the hands of the people that need it. The […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has wished all South Africans a reflective national Human Rights Day and called on all citizens to unite behind the national effort to minimize the rapid spread of the Coronavirus. “We observe Human Rights Day at an extraordinary time for our country and the world, as we battle to contain the spread […]

As of Saturday 21 March 2020, South Africa now has 240 confirmed cases of COVID-19. This means there has been an increase of 38 from Friday’s announcement of 202 cases. Among the new cases, is the Eastern Cape’s first confirmed case. “This patient is a 28 year-old female who had travelled to Germany,” said the […]

Sheila Moore, 71, and her husband, Richard Moore, 73, returned from the United Kingdom on Tuesday 10 March healthy. A few days later both she and her husband had tested positive for the new coronavirus, and Sheila was developing a worrying shortness of breath. On her healthcare advisor’s recommendation, she asked the Netcare Christiaan Barnard […]

South Africa’s Police Minister Bheki Cele warned on Friday that anyone who disregards the recently released COVID-19 state of disaster regulations would be arrested and face the full might of the law. Section 10 of the regulations empowers the Minister of Police to issue directions to address, prevent and combat the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) […]

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced Friday that South Africa now has 202 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus, in the latest health news update. The province with the largest number of new cases is Gauteng, at 33. The Western Cape had the second highest number of new infections with 11 confirmed cases. KwaZulu-Natal recorded one new […]

World Rugby has today announced its response measures to COVID-19, which include the postponement of the Rugby Sevens Series in London and Paris. In a statement from Sir Bill Beaumont on Friday, the organisation also said the the World Rugby Hall of Fame (located in Rugby, UK) will be closed until the end of May […]

If you’re missing the beauty of Africa amidst Coronavirus and the ban on most travel, these photos will warm your heart and put a smile on your face. Kenneth Coe, a frequent visitor to the continent and a trustee of The Nature Conservancy, has compiled this special gallery with a selection of his wildlife photos… […]

On Monday the 16th of March 2020 my school took precaution and closed because of Covid-19… writes teacher and regular SAPeople contributor Andrea Ben. When I went into school that day I felt a sense of emptiness, loneliness and sadness. I missed the high five greetings, hugs, laughter and loud voices on the playground. Today […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has sent condolences to the “family and friends of ‘Oom‘ (Uncle) Alwyn van Zyl who lost his life during a brutal farm attack” in the early hours of this morning in the Limpopo province of South Africa. The DA said that the 79-year-old and his 66-year-old wife “tannie Pauline” (Aunty Pauline) […]

The Cannes Film Festival has announced that it will be postponed until – it hopes – the end of June, beginning of July. The famous festival of the French Riviera had held out as long as it could in the hope that the Coronavirus pandemic would be resolved in time for the festival in May, […]

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says the health department is seeing the successful recovery of people in South Africa who had tested positive for COVID-19. “We are in the process of conducting further confirmation tests and medical examinations then we [will] formally inform the public on the number of recoveries. At this stage, most of the […]