Category: COVID-19 Corona Virus

The South African National Parks (SANParks) says it is preparing to recall its hospitality staff for a phased approach in the reopening of its overnight facilities.

This follows an announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that accommodation providers can resume operations in alert level 3.

SANParks CEO Fundisile Mketeni said the President’s address on Wednesday, 17 June 2020, was good news for SANParks and many nature lovers who for the past three months have been yearning to visit their favourite national park.

“However, we urge those who cannot wait to book into our accommodation to exercise a bit of patience as SANParks readies itself for the reopening,” Mketeni said.

Mketeni said SANParks will approach the opening of its accommodation facilities responsibly to ensure that the gains made by South Africa in curbing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic are not compromised.

The process of recalling back staff in preparation for the reopening is still to commence.

“We will then immediately activate the re-training of staff on new operating protocols in line with industry standards.

“The safety of both staff and guests is critical and we have to ensure that we are in compliance with regard to regulations as well as health standards and protocols. We will announce the dates for the reopening of accommodation bookings in the next few days,” Mketeni said.

The National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) has temporarily closed its East London office after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.

“As part of our precautionary measures, all the affected employees based in that office will also be in self-isolation for 14 days as per the COVID-19 regulations. The concerned employee has been hospitalised,” said NHBRC acting CEO Otsile Maseng.

Maseng said the shutdown will also affect NHBRC’s home inspection services in the Buffalo City Metro and Amathole District Municipality for 14 days.

The office will resume its normal operation on Monday, 22 June 2020.

NHBRC said their offices have COVID-19 task teams to ensure the continued safety of the employees and customers.

Meanwhile, all those visiting the offices are requested to cooperate with the measures put in place.

However, developers, contractors, home builders and housing consumers are urged to only visit the NHBRC offices only when it is necessary for a collection of certificates, registration and enrolment and completing technical assessments.

“Furthermore, we encourage those who need to submit necessary supporting documents to do so from the safety of their homes,” the council said.

Clients in the Eastern Cape can use this email address EC-online@nhbrc.org.za if they need assistance, NHBRC said.

South Africa reported 3 478 new positive cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the total to 83 890 cases, said Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize.

Meanwhile, there are an additional 63 fatalities, bringing the death toll to 1 737.

Of the new deaths, 57 are from the Western Cape and six are from the Eastern Cape.

“We wish to express our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers who treated the deceased,” Mkhize said.

Over the last 24 hours, 27 362 new tests have been conducted, bringing the total number to 1 228 098.

The Western Cape remains the hardest hit province, followed by the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

The Western Cape has 47 522 cases, Gauteng 15 898, Eastern Cape 12 639, KwaZulu-Natal 4 360, North West 1 606, Free State 649, Limpopo 489, Mpumalanga 461, Northern Cape 214 and 56 are still are unknown.

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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) have called on eligible Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) to apply for funding to manufacture fabric face masks.

“This initiative aims to provide relief for SMMEs that have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 and is open to both formal and informal traders operating in the Gauteng and Northern Cape Provinces,” SALGA said on Thursday.

Face masks are a measure in South Africa’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Businesses that have been approved for or are recipients of COVID-19 relief support will not be eligible.

“Successful applicants will receive financial support to help recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and are required to produce fabric face masks using these funds. Together we can reduce the spread of the virus, save lives and support small businesses,” SALGA said.

Eligibility criteria and application details are available on www.za.undp.org.

Applications close on 23 June 2020 at 24:00.

The Department of Home Affairs head office in Pretoria was on Wednesday vacated after a general worker tested positive for COVID-19.

Seven officials had come into contact with the COVID-19 positive general worker.

According to the department, all the colleagues are being provided with psychotherapy and support. The seven officials have also been advised to self-isolate, as they were not showing any symptoms.

“The building is being disinfected and officials are expected to return next week on Tuesday.

“Senior officials and those rendering essential services to the department will continue doing so from remote locations or from their homes,” the department said.

The building housing the offices of the Minister and the Deputy Minister is in Hatfield and has also been disinfected.

Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has wished the affected general worker a speedy recovery and encouraged officials to remain vigilant and safe, as they provide enabling documents to qualifying people.

Several labour offices will remain shut for a few weeks after employees tested positive for COVID-19.

The Mitchells Plain labour centre and its satellite office in Nyanga will be closed for an additional week after another employee contracted the virus.

Meanwhile, the Paarl Labour Centre has also confirmed a case and the office closed its doors from Thursday.

“The officials had interacted with other employees, who were working at the labour centres. The affected employees will now self-isolate and have been referred for counselling,” said Provincial Operations’ Chief Director, Mawele Ntamo.

He said the offices have been conducting regular assessments of employees, which includes daily health checks and temperature screening.

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) head office in Pretoria has been hit by COVID-19, with an employee who tested positive. The office will be closed, which may affect operations.

However, the Labour Department said payment of benefits will continue.

The department’s Director-General, Thobile Lamati, has previously stated that the safety of employees remains paramount.

“Our officials are an important cog of the working of the South African economy and as such, we will also ensure that they are as safe as possible,” he said.

As it stands, the offices in the Western Cape, which has over 60% of the reported COVID-19 cases, remain the hardest hit.

Services resumed in Vredenburg in the Western Cape and East London in the Eastern Cape after they were both closed due to COVID-19.

The Paarl labour centre is expected to resume operations on 22 June, while the Mitchells Plain Labour Centre, Nyanga satellite office and the UIF office will open on 25 June.

“Clients are encouraged to make use of the department’s online services in the meantime,” the department said.

As the number of COVID-19 cases increase to 76 334, the Health Department says it is pleased about the results of the affordable life-saving drug used to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients.

The Recovery Trial, based at Oxford University, published results on the therapeutic merits of low dose dexamethasone, which are extremely promising, the Health Department said.

According to Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, the drugs are also “easily implementable” in South Africa.

“Dexamethasone is a well-known and widely used steroid, which has potent anti-inflammatory properties.

“It is used in allergic reactions, asthma and other conditions where the inflammatory component of the disease needs to be controlled for better outcomes,” said Mkhize.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has welcomed the initial clinical trial and said they are looking forward to the full data analysis in the coming days.

“For patients on ventilators, the treatment was shown to reduce mortality by about one third, and for patients requiring only oxygen, mortality was cut by about one fifth,” according to preliminary findings shared with WHO.

The agency said the benefit is only visible in seriously ill COVID-19 patients and not those with milder disease.

“This is the first treatment to be shown to reduce mortality in patients with COVID-19 requiring oxygen or ventilator support.

“This is great news and I congratulate the Government of the UK, the University of Oxford and the many hospitals and patients in the UK who have contributed to this lifesaving scientific breakthrough,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

Meanwhile, SA recorded 57 more COVID-19 related deaths, of which 44 are from the Western Cape, nine from the Eastern Cape and four from KwaZulu-Natal, bringing the total death toll to 1 625.

The Western Cape, with the highest infection rate, has 45 357 cases, followed by Gauteng with 13 032, the Eastern Cape with 11 039 and KwaZulu-Natal with 4 048.

The North West has 1 281, Free State 578, Limpopo 391, Mpumalanga 343, Northern Cape 211 and 63 are still unallocated.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will today, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the African Union (AU), participate in a virtual Extraordinary China-Africa Solidarity Summit against COVID-19.

The summit is co-hosted by the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the AU.

The aim of the summit is to explore opportunities for African States to leverage multilateral cooperation through the FOCAC mechanism, so that resources and knowledge can be mobilised in efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

FOCAC is an official forum that coordinates cooperation between the People’s Republic of China and African States.

Due to technical constraints, not all FOCAC Member States have been invited.

Participants will include the Extended AU Bureau, which includes the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Zimbabwe, the Republic of Rwanda and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

Other participants will include Chairpersons of Regional Economic Communities (RECs), with the Republic of Madagascar representing the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Chad for the Community of Sahel–Saharan States (CEN–SAD) and the Republic of Rwanda for the East African Community (EAC).

The Republic of Gabon will represent the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Republic of Niger will represent the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Republic of Sudan will represent the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

Libya will represent the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), while the Democratic People’s Republic of Algeria and the Federal Republic of Nigeria will participate as initiating members of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has warned liquor licence holders against the sale of alcohol on a public holiday.

“Tomorrow, we will pay tribute to young people who laid down their lives in order for me and you to be free. We will also reflect on programmes that are aimed at ensuring that young people continue to be the motor-force of change,” Dube-Ncube said on Monday.

Annually, South Africa commemorates the Soweto youth uprising of 16 June 1976, a public holiday known as Youth Day.

According to the terms of Section 44 (5) of the Disaster Management Regulations as amended (28th May 2020), “the sale of liquor is prohibited on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and on public holidays”.

“As we move forward, I wish to reiterate once again that where any licence holder is found to have violated any of the provisions contained in the regulations or the sale of liquor in terms of the KwaZulu-Natal Liquor Licensing Act, the KZN liquor authority will recommend the suspension of the licence until the end of lockdown or for three months,” the MEC said.

Over the past two weeks, a total of 1 447 liquor traders across the province have been visited during business inspection, compliance and enforcement. Two liquor traders were arrested.

The MEC said inspections will continue throughout the province which has 8 000 liquor licence holders.

Deputy Minister of Correctional Services Nkosi Phathekile Holomisa has tested positive for Coronavirus.

Government has expressed wishes of a speedy recovery to the Deputy Minister.

“Holomisa has our full support and we are looking forward to his full recovery in order for him to continue serving the people of South Africa with great valour and dedication,” Minister in the Presidency, Jackson Mthembu, said on Saturday.

The Deputy Minister is self-isolating at his residence and taking all the necessary precautions towards a full recovery.

All direct contacts of Nkosi Holomisa will be traced and they will be informed to quarantine.

The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) said Holomisa is in good spirits and he is determined to defeat the virus, which has affected thousands of South Africans thus far.

“As the world has been grappling with this global pandemic over the past few months, Coronavirus has demonstrated that it does not have barriers for any section of society and that any person can be infected,” Mthembu said.

Government has reiterated its call for South Africans to take precaution and adhere to preventative measures.

These include wearing a mask, social distancing, and regularly and thoroughly cleaning hands with soap or a sanitiser that contains 70% alcohol.

People should also avoid crowded places and seek medical attention when they have symptoms of a fever, cough and difficulties in breathing.