Category: COVID-19 Corona Virus

Government has called on sectors in the cultural and creative industries, who were negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, to apply for relief funding.

This relief is a once off payment to successful applicants. There is a maximum threshold of R15 000 to successful individual applicants, and R30 000 to formations such as small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), organisation or cooperatives.

“As the Department of Small Business Development, we endeavour to promote and empower all SMMEs and cooperatives, regardless of their sector,” Minister of Small Business Development, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said on Monday.

The Minister’s department has collaborated with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture to establish a fund that will provide relief to organisations, enterprises as well as individual practitioners in the craft, design, visual arts and audio-visual sectors.

The two departments will contribute an equal amount of money to set up a fund, worth R22 282 000.

“We, as a department, are committed to ensuring that artists are supported as we gradually return to normality, albeit under strict health protocols, and to pick up the pieces as we begin the journey to full economic recovery,” Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, said.

The relief funding is open to crafters, who are practitioners involved in the production of a broad range of utilitarian and decorative items produced using a range of materials, skills and techniques such as grass-weaving, ceramics, beadwork, wirework, wood, jewellery, paper, fabric painting and printing, quilting, leatherwork, pewter, glasswork, embroidery and mixed media.

“The craft sector usually overlaps with certain design disciplines but today’s announcement is that design, as a specific sector, will also benefit from this relief. Design includes a wide range of different subsectors such as product design, fashion design, textile design, and jewellery design and so on,” the departments said.

Also included in this relief is the audio-visual sector, and it covers support to producers, directors, art directors, camera operators, people involved in lighting, runners, sound, costume, hair and makeup, on-set photographers, post production, and animation.

The relief also extends to visual artists. This sector is also defined as fine arts (including painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics and drawing), contemporary art (such as performance art and installations) and photography.

This assistance also includes freelancers (independent contractors).

Interested applicants will find the application forms on www.dsbd.gov.za and www.srsa.gov.za.

Applications are open from 2 November 2020 and should be submitted by 12 November 2020 by midday.

Applicants will be informed about the outcome of their applications by latest 1 December 2020.

Payments to successful applicants are anticipated to be finalised by latest 23 December 2020.

The funding will be distributed per province by nine designated hubs and development agencies, namely;

• The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC),
• The Free State Development Corporation (FDA),
• The Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA),
• Trade and Investment KZN,
• The Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA),
• The Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA),
• The Bokone-Bophirima Craft & Design Institute (BBCDI), the North West
• The Northern Cape Economic Development Agency (NCEDA) and the
• The Craft & Design Institute (CDI), the Western Cape

Interested applicants are also advised to visit the above-mentioned hubs and development agencies’ websites to access application forms.

South Africa now has 726 823 COVID-19 cases after 1 371 patients were confirmed to have contracted the virus on Sunday.

Meanwhile, 135 people succumbed to the disease which brings the death toll to 19 411.

Of the latest fatalities, 107 are from Gauteng, 22 from the Eastern Cape, four from the Western Cape and two the Free State.

“We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the healthcare workers that treated the deceased patients,” said Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize.

Gauteng remains the epicentre with 15 735 active cases, followed by Free State with 12 671 cases, KwaZulu-Natal with 7 112 and the Western Cape with 4 512.

The Northern Cape has 3 654 active cases, North West 3 616, Eastern Cape 3 503, Mpumalanga 701, and Limpopo 578.

The recovery rate stands at 90% after 655 330 patients recuperated nationwide.

The information is based on 4 842 516 tests of which 19 543 were performed in the last report.

“COVID-19 continues to grab headlines. The resounding message this week was for all citizens to act responsibly and follow non-pharmaceutical interventions diligently to prevent a resurgence of the virus,” Mkhize urged citizens.

The World Health Organisation has recorded 45 942 902 confirmed cases, including 1 192 644 deaths, to date.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a new one-month national hard lockdown from Thursday as the second wave of Coronavirus infections hit England.

“And in this country alas as across much of Europe the virus is spreading even faster than the reasonable worst-case scenario of our scientific advisers,” he said on Saturday, adding that if they do not act swiftly, they could see deaths in this country running at several thousand a day.

According to reports, there are more than 1 million confirmed cases of Coronavirus in the United Kingdom, while 46 717 people had died.

“Because of the huge exponential growth in the number of patients – by no means all of them elderly, by the way – would mean that doctors and nurses would be forced to choose which patients to treat,” Prime Minister Johnson said.

Coronavirus continues to spread in South Africa with 2 056 new cases identified on Thursday, while 53 more people succumbed to the deadly virus.

Of the latest deaths, 37 are from the Eastern Cape, five from Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, four from Gauteng and two from Mpumalanga.

According to Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, of these new fatalities, 15 occurred in the past 24 to 48 hours.

This brings the death toll to 19 164, while the total number of cases are sitting at 721 770 since the outbreak.

Also, 649 935 patients have recuperated which translates to a recovery rate of 90%, said Mkhize.

“The cumulative number of tests conducted to date is 4 777 609 with 25 013 new tests conducted since the last report,” the Minister added.

Meanwhile, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said they are seeing several trends developing when zooming in on the cases in the province.

“The increase in the numbers of new cases are primarily driven by young people between the ages of 15 to 25,” he said, adding that there is a rise in the number of positive tests and hospitalisation in the private sector.

According to Winde, the province has also noted a spike in the infection rate in Athlone and in Scottsdene, which they believe is connected to the wastewater systems linked to the Southern and the Western sub-districts.

“This data gives us another level of surveillance which allows us to detect trends and to follow up with targeted testing should it be required. These tools are part of our arsenal, which will help us to detect signs of resurgence or a second wave.”

He said the province continues to use the surveillance systems to identify “infection bushfires”.

“This has allowed us to pinpoint spikes in infections in recent weeks – first in the Southern and Western sub-districts, and now in George on the Garden Route.”

Winde thinks the peak is associated with a “general relaxation” of safety and infection prevention protocols.

However, according to Winde, the strongest defence against a resurgence is behavioural change.

The Western Cape has 4 298 active COVID-19 infections, 4 353 deaths, with 116 852 confirmed cases and 108 201 recoveries.

“I, therefore, call on all our residents to commit to becoming an active part of our recovery deal so that we can move forward safely in the Western Cape,” he pleaded.

Globally, the World Health Organisation has reported 44 351 506 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 1 171 255 deaths to date.

The number of detected COVID-19 cases is now 719 714 after 1 863 new infections were identified in the last 24 hours.

In Wednesday’s statement, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said 58 patients succumbed the respiratory illness, which pushes the death toll to 19 111.

Of the latest deaths, 18 are from the Eastern Cape, 12 from KwaZulu-Natal, 10 from the Western Cape, seven from Limpopo, six from the Northern Cape, three from the Free State and two from Gauteng.

“We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the healthcare workers who treated the deceased patients,” Mkhize said, adding that the recovery rate stands at 90%.

The Western Cape has 3 122 active COVID-19 infections, with a total of 115 431 confirmed cases.

Gauteng has a total of 227 833 cases, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 122 624, while the Eastern Cape has 95 050 infections since the outbreak.

The Minister said the number of tests conducted to date is 4 752 596, with 25 721 new tests performed since the last report.

Globally, there have been 43 766 712 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 1 163 459 deaths, reported to the World Health Organisation.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has told Members of Parliament during a question and answer session that rumours of an imminent move to lockdown alert level three this week are not true.

“I don’t want to be alarmist. I don’t want our people to be alarmed with rumours such as that we are going to level three.

“That is simply not true and I want to assure everyone that that is not true. If it ever gets there, I will be the one to advise the nation where we are and where we are going. For now, all we need to do is to adhere to our preventative measures – wear your mask,” he said on Tuesday.

This comes after reports of people attending large gatherings, in some cases violating lockdown regulations by not wearing masks or observing social distancing.

The President said he had received a report from the medical advisory group. The team of advisors has been analysing the rate of infections.

“I received a report today, and I want to look at it very closely,” he said, adding that it is only “in the coming days, possibly next week”, that he might take the opportunity to address the nation about what needs to be done in light of the circumstances.

“With regards to these rumours that are going around [regarding the lockdown level]… I would like to say that we are continuing to actively analyse and manage the situation, with the assistance of the medical advisory group, where they are analysing the incidence of infection as it unfolds throughout the country,” the President said.

He said, however, that government is observing signs that are of concern.

“As South Africans, we are not all adhering to the protective measures such as wearing our masks and washing our hands.

“That is worrying and we must continue to … make sure that we adhere to the measures that have been placed on us by the medical advisory committee…

“COVID-19… is a serious condition and we need to adhere to the safety measures, particularly now.

“As we move towards the fun period of December where people will let their guard down, this is what is of concern and we are watching that.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa has begun a period of self-quarantine following the positive COVID-19 diagnosis of a guest at a dinner attended by the President on Saturday.

The President has wished the guest, who is receiving medical attention, a safe and speedy recovery. He wished other guests good health.

On Saturday, the President attended a fundraising dinner of the Adopt-a-School Foundation, which is a partner entity of the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation.

The event for 35 guests was held at a Johannesburg hotel where Foundation guests were the only people hosted by the establishment.

The event adhered stringently to COVID-19 protocols and directives on screening, social distancing and the wearing of masks.

“As was the case with all guests, the President himself removed his mask only when dining and addressing the guests,” said the Presidency.

The Adopt-a-School Foundation advised dinner guests on Tuesday that a guest had shown symptoms on Sunday, and had been tested on Monday before receiving a positive result yesterday.

The Foundation became aware of this development and communicated this to guests yesterday, hours after the President had performed the unveiling of a statue of liberation icon OR Tambo and the official opening of a new Radisson hotel and convention centre in Ekurhuleni in the morning.

The President is screened regularly by the South African Military Health Service and subjects himself to screening at venues where he participates in engagements.

The President is showing no symptoms at this time and will, in line with COVID-19 health advice, be tested should symptoms manifest.

The President will perform his duties remotely and will observe the guidelines that apply to self-quarantine.

The number of detected COVID-19 cases has jumped to 717 851 after 1 092 patients were confirmed to have contracted the virus on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, 45 more people died of COVID-19 related deaths bringing the tally to 19 053 since the outbreak.

Of the latest fatalities, 12 are from Free State, 11 from Western Cape, 10 from the Eastern Cape, five from KwaZulu-Natal, four from Gauteng and three from Mpumalanga.

“Our recoveries now stand at 647 833 which translates to a recovery rate of 90%,” said Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize.

The information is based on the 4 726 875 tests conducted of which 17 472 were performed since the last report.

Over 2 million new cases have been reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the past seven days.

According to the WHO’s latest COVID-19 weekly epidemiological update, this is the highest number of new COVID-19 cases reported globally in the shortest intervals since the start of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the number of new deaths is “comparable” to previous weeks.

“As of 25 October, over 42 million cases and 1.1 million deaths have been reported globally, with over 2.8 million new cases and nearly 40 000 new deaths reported over the past week,” the agency explained.

The European region accounts for the greatest proportion of reported new cases for the second consecutive week, with over 1.3 million new cases reported this past week – a 33% increase in cases compared to the previous week.

The WHO said the region is now contributing nearly half of all new cases reported worldwide this week.

“Similarly, the number of deaths continues to increase in the region with a 35% increase from last week and accounting for nearly one-third of all new deaths globally.”

Meanwhile, although not as substantial, the rise in Coronavirus has also been noted in the region of the Americas, Eastern-Mediterranean and African regions.

“Declines in cases and deaths continued to be reported in the South-East Asia region while the Western Pacific region has shown a slight decline in new cases and deaths in the past seven days.”

In Africa, the WHO recorded 32 000 new cases and 800 new deaths over the past week.

According to the agency, the region accounts for around 1% of new global cases and 2% of new global deaths.

South Africa, Kenya, and Ethiopia continue to account the highest numbers of new infections.

“The region shows a mixed pattern with countries at different epidemic stages and experiencing different outcomes. Despite this, COVID-19 continues to contribute an added burden to public health, strained already stretched health systems and caused socio-economic pressures,” the agency noted.

All the top-up amounts for the social grants, including Old Age, Disability, War Veterans, Child Support, Foster Child and Care Dependency, will stop from next month.

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) on Monday said the grant amounts, as from November, will revert to pre-COVID-19 amounts.

“There is no extension to the top-up,” SASSA said in a brief statement on Monday.

Child Support Grant (CSG) beneficiaries received an extra R300 in May and R500 between June and October, while other grant beneficiaries were topped-up with R250 for six months.

The top-up grant was government’s temporary relief against food insecurity and to cushion households severely battered by the pandemic.

The Social Development Department is among government’s key implementers of the social relief and economic support package, to the value of R500 billion, announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in the early stages of the outbreak.

Law enforcement agencies, accompanied by Police Minister Bheki Cele, on Sunday morning shutdown a Johannesburg club violating various COVID-19 lockdown regulations.

In videos posted on Twitter by Police Ministry spokesperson, Lirandzu Themba, and Gauteng Provincial Government accounts, dozens of patrons were ordered to leave the venue, just after midnight.

Despite being on curfew from midnight until 4am, it is alleged that the club, identified as “Backdoor”, was still trading in the early hours of Sunday.

Beyond this, the club was allegedly packed to capacity, patrons were not wearing face masks and social distancing was not observed.

Addressing reporters, Cele said: “By law, clubs are not open, that is what the regulations say at the present moment. [We received information] and our information was correct.

“We came to this place [it’s called Backdoor], and there were over 300 people not wearing masks or social distancing. [They’re] breaking the law… Besides breaking the COVID-19 laws, people are breaking the real law by being here after curfew…”

Themba said 58 965 millilitres of liquor, valued at R800 000, were seized from the club.

“The manager was arrested and detained at Sandton SAPS for operating a business without a liquor licence and running the club during level one lockdown,” she said.

In a series of tweets, Gauteng Community Safety and Liaison MEC, Faith Mazibuko, who was also at the raid, on Monday thanked the public for alerting authorities.

“To all those who tirelessly send us information on places that need law enforcement attention, we have heard your cries in areas such as Sunnyside, Hillbrow, Kempton Park, Rosettenville and Windsor etc,” she said.

Mazibuko said law enforcement agencies are working hard to deal with crime throughout the province of Gauteng.

“We acknowledge that more needs to be done to deal with crime, including in those areas. We are acting and results should show soon.

“We are not oblivious to the fact that greater focus is needed in finding solutions to end GBVF [gender-based violence and femicide] and crimes against vulnerable persons in our communities.

“GBV Brigades are part of our response and more initiatives are being implemented, working with law enforcement.”

Mazibuko said working with the Department of Home Affairs, law enforcement is dealing with illegal immigrants.

“SAPS and IPID [Independent Police Investigative Directorate] are dealing with corrupt officers. We can only win the fight against crime when we work together.

“Creating a safer Gauteng requires communities to play their part,” she said.

African Union Chairperson, President Cyril Ramaphosa, says while the African Union COVID-19 Response Fund has to date raised USD 44 million – more still needs to be done.

“I want to thank all the countries on the continent who have contributed, as well as our donor community partners and the continental and international business fraternity.

“However, we need to raise at least a further USD 300 million to ensure assistance is provided to societies and countries in need, and to enable us to weather the health and economic storm in the weeks, months and years ahead,” said the President.

The call for more funds was made by the President during the virtual fund-raising webinar for the AU COVID-19 Response Fund on Saturday.

Established in April this year, the Fund was set up to mitigate the social, economic and humanitarian impact of the pandemic across the continent. It is a financial instrument to mobilise and manage funds from the private sector and other stakeholders.

The Fund also supports the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention – Africa CDC – which plays a key role in the continental response.

With eight months since the first reported case of Coronavirus on the African continent, over one million people have been infected with the virus in Africa, and close to 28 000 people have lost their lives.

“This pandemic will continue to be with us for a long time to come. Its effects on human health, on our societies and on our economies have been dire, and we are only now starting to fully comprehend the scale of the devastation.

“For us to continue to with prevention efforts, health care and case management for our people, the Fund has to mobilise additional resources as quickly as possible,” said the President.

With the search for the COVID-19 vaccine still ongoing, President Ramaphosa said the need for funds is critical as the continent will need substantial resources to ensure equitable access for all African countries.

“I call on both our first time donors and those who have pledged their support previously to give generously to the Fund.

“In doing so, you are not just making a contribution to overcoming this current emergency – you are also making a solid investment in Africa’s recovery and in her future,” said President Ramaphosa.