The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) announced today that it has facilitated the repatriation by air of 5,239 South Africans stranded abroad. According to DIRCO Minister Naledi Pandor, hundreds more have also returned through the country’s land borders. As several countries went into lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19, an initial 3 637 requested […]

The National Health Insurance (NHI) has become an idealistic concept known as “imaginary.” It’s become the idea onto which all South Africa’s aspirations for healthcare have been projected. The dream of a system that is fairer, less divided and more efficient. It’s even been called “pie in the sky.” Steve Reid reports. It’s clear that […]

South Africa’s confirmed COVID-19 cases now stand at 16 433 with 475 071 tests having been conducted. In a statement on Monday, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said of the 475 071 tests conducted, 14 198 tests had been conducted in the last 24-hours. South Africa also reported a further 22 COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the total number of deaths […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of universal health coverage. That is the message underlined by President Cyril Ramaphosa who was addressing the virtual 73rd Session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday. The pandemic should propel countries to act with greater urgency to make it a reality. “In this final decade towards […]

Children are suffering increasingly from preventable infectious diseases, including TB and measles, due to missed vaccinations. When a novel coronavirus now known as SARS-CoV-2 first entered the world stage on the heels of the Chinese New Year in January 2020, little was known about it and its impact on people, health systems and countries. This […]

While stressing that Lockdown’s priority is to save lives, President Cyril Ramaphosa has conceded in his latest weekly letter to the nation, that each South African citizen has the right to pursue litigation if they are not happy with Lockdown. The President said that when asked recently by a journalist whether he was concerned at […]

Some surfers in Kommetjie near Cape Town, South Africa, broke the nation’s lockdown regulations to have a morning surf… while others respectfully remained out of the ocean. Local residents’ opinions were split – some pointing out that by flagrantly disregarding the regulations it could result in them becoming more stringent or lasting longer; whilst others […]

As government prepares for the further easing of the lockdown to level 3, Cabinet Ministers will undertake broad-ranging consultations with government, key sectors of the economy and civil society. Having appreciated the progress made towards levelling the  COVID-19 pandemic curve and capacitating the public health system to deal with an increase in infections, Cabinet approved […]

The North West province’s Department of Health has suspended four senior officials over allegations of tender irregularities, one of which amounts to almost R11 million. Two suspensions relate to a building contract at the Mmbatho Nursing College, the other two to a security contract whose financial loss is still being calculated. Two senior officials, including […]

This is an URGENT APPEAL for help… writes Sadhana (Sharon Ryan). [UPDATE 15 May 2020: Light at the end of the tunnel for South Africans stranded in India.] We are over 250 South Africans stranded all over India, since Lockdown started on 24 March, with no repatriation plans in sight yet by the South African […]

The South African government seems to have gone from an absence of data coupled to a firm but sensible strategy of lockdown to delay the pain of COVID-19, to a multitude of inputs and a seemingly cavalier attitude to the restrictions. Statistics South Africa has submitted data on how the pandemic has devastated the country’s […]

While the South African government plans to steadily reduce the COVID-19 alert level by stabilising infection and anticipating the inevitable increase in cases, President Ramaphosa has warned the virus might be around for another year. South Africa moved to Level 4 of the national lockdown on 1 May. The lockdown is aimed at curbing the […]

South Africa’s confirmed COVID-19 cases have risen to 10 015. Regrettably, the Health Department has reported eight more COVID-19 related deaths: 3 from the Western Cape, 1 from the Eastern Cape, and 4 from Gauteng. This brings the total national deaths to 194. “We wish to express our condolences to the loved ones of the […]

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting worried… writes Alan Knott-Craig. The Corona-virus lockdown is getting me down. It’s getting me depressed. It’s making me a bit scared. It’s not the curfew, or the lack of exercise, or too much time in a confined space with my family, or the alcohol & cigarette ban, […]

Poorer communities to the southwest of Johannesburg and even farther afield have been benefiting off the incredible feeding schemes being run by the Muslim Association of South Africa. Many of the communities MASA feeds are around Lenasia, such as Vlakfontein, but also the organisation has gone as far as New Scotland in Mpumalanga. Earlier today […]

As the pandemic continues to plague the entire nation, the Electoral Court has since been forced to postpone the by-elections that were set for June due to COVID-19. In a statement released on Tuesday, the Electoral Commission said it welcomed the decision and that it will revise the by-elections timetable accordingly. “The Electoral Court today […]

A slew of countries ranging from the US to Brazil to Singapore to South Africa have decided to give people money in response to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. While the amounts and details of the grants have varied, these governments have all made it clear that such payments are a short-term […]

An earlier decision by government to allow the sale of cigarettes during the COVID-19 lockdown was rescinded after the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) consulted medical experts and various role-players. President Cyril Ramaphosa said this on Monday after sections of society implied that Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma had arbitrarily gazetted the […]

This week, Carte Blanche investigates how the Corona Virus turned our world upside down. You can watch the show on Sunday 3 May in South Africa on DStv Now or stream it overseas in most countries from Tues 5 May if you’re abroad. COVID-19 in Wastewater – Early Warning of Infection? With the virus that causes […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared days of national mourning for the struggle stalwart Denis Goldberg who passed away in the early hours of Thursday. In terms of this declaration, the National Flag is to fly at half-mast at every station in the country from Friday, 1 May 2020 to Monday, 4 May 2020, as a […]

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has conveyed his condolences following the passing of Rivonia trialist and Esteemed Member of the Order of Luthuli, Denis Theodore Goldberg. “My thoughts are with Denis Goldberg’s family and his comrades around the country and around the world. This is a sad moment for our nation and a moment for […]

South Africans “celebrate” Freedom Day through gritted teeth, with a wry smile and an acute sense of irony, this year. Many, if not most, will be lamenting the loss of freedom due to the COVID-19 lockdown. For most professionals, there will be no public holiday, since days slide seamlessly into one another, punctuated only by […]

Many are hailing President Cyril Ramaphosa’s speech on Thursday night as one of the best in South African history. None captured the spirit as well as writer and animal rights activist, Herman H Le Roux, whose words written straight after Ramaphosa’s address to the nation have gone viral on social media, sometimes without his credit, […]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it is extremely concerned by ongoing violent community protests outside the Ntunjambili Hospital in Kranskop, allegedly as a result of residents not wanting Covid-19 patients to be isolated when treated at the facility. While the protest action was eventually broken up by the South African Police Service (SAPS) through the […]

After many unanswered calls by government departments, the Public Service Commission has appealed to them to update contact details on their websites so citizens can reach them. Many have not been updated despite lockdown being in effect for three weeks already. The PSC said it has been inundated with unanswered calls and unreachable numbers. The […]