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The 1st of January 2021 marked the start of South African firms trading under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement and with the United Kingdom under the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Mozambique–UK Economic Partnership Agreement.

“South Africa has put in place the legal and administrative processes for preferential trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on 1 January 2021, in line with the decision by the 13th Extra-Ordinary Session of the Assembly on the AfCFTA on 5 December 2020 to start trading under the AfCFTA.  [This is] on the basis of legally implementable and reciprocal Tariff Schedules and Concessions, with agreed Rules of Origin,” said the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic).

The historic AfCFTA Agreement has been signed by 54 of the 55 African Union (AU) member States, and 34 countries have already deposited their instruments of ratification to the AU Commission and have become State Parties.

The current State Parties are Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

A number of the signatory countries have begun to put the domestic administrative arrangements in place to enable trading under the new terms. These should be progressively expanded within the next few months.

In addition, trade for local firms with the UK commenced on 1 January under the new Economic Partnership Agreement between six southern African countries and the UK, replacing the European Union partnership terms for the UK market that were in place until 31 December 2020.

Meanwhile, dtic Minister Ebrahim Patel has called on South African farmers and manufacturers to gear up for the new opportunities in export markets.

“Trade with the rest of the continent is a critical source of output and jobs growth. African countries recognise that industrialisation is critical to the development of the continent. The new agreement will take some time to be fully operational but has the potential to be transformative for Africa, breaking our dependence on a neo-colonial pattern of trade that characterised trade.

“Our continent exports raw materials and imports finished goods, with substantial value added in the process,” said Patel.

The Minister said COVID-19 has reminded the continent of the “enormous price we pay for not developing advanced economies”.

“This is Africa’s moment to build resilient, innovative economies on the back of the large markets that the free trade agreement puts in place. It will take dedication and disciplined implementation over the next few years to fully realise the benefits,” he said.

Patel said the Summit decision to commence trade under the AfCFTA was historic and a milestone in the continent’s longstanding efforts to integrate and industrialise.

“The AfCFTA presents South African producers and manufacturers with an opportunity for expansion to new markets in West, Central, East and North Africa, and provides alternative markets for the export of value added goods, as well as services. In addition, exports to the United Kingdom can continue seamlessly with the new agreement with the UK in place,” Patel said.

The UK Agreement effectively retains the terms of trade in the existing EU Agreement and will govern the bilateral trading relationship between each of the southern African countries (South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Botswana and Mozambique) and the UK.

Both the EU and the UK are significant trading partners for South Africa.

COVID-19 continues to spread in South Africa amid the second wave of infections, with 11 859 confirmed cases identified on Sunday.

According to the latest data, this represents a 32% positivity rate, bringing the total number of cases to 1 100 748 since the outbreak.

Meanwhile, the country has 167 492 active actives, with KwaZulu-Natal now being the hardest hit province, with 63 690 people who are currently infected.

The Western Cape has 42 388 active cases, followed by Gauteng with 31 770, Eastern Cape 6 315, Free State 6 133, North West 5 911, Limpopo 5 032, Mpumalanga 3 838 and Northern Cape 2 415.

A further 402 people died due to COVID-19 related complications, with the Eastern Cape reporting the highest number of 109 fatalities, while the Western Cape had 107 deaths.

Eighty-five fatalities were reported in KwaZulu-Natal, 73 in Gauteng, 23 in Limpopo, three in the Northern Cape and two in the Free State.

According to Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, this brings the death toll to 29 577.

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

In addition, 903 679 have beat the deadly virus, which translates to a 82.1% recovery rate.

Three suspects are expected to appear before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court after they were caught smuggling 73.5 kg of gold at OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA).

In a statement, police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe, said the precious metal was found in the suspects’ hand luggage in contravention of the Customs Act.

Acting on information provided by security officials at the airport after a security scanner identified irregular images, a multi-disciplinary team consisting of the South African Police Service (SAPS), the South African Revenue Service (SARS) customs officials, the Department of Health (Port Health officials) and officials from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) pounced on the trio at the international arrival terminals.

Mathe said the three had just flown into South Africa from Madagascar and were en-route to Dubai via Ethiopia last week when they were apprehended.

“Upon questioning of the suspects and further inspection of their hand luggage, officials discovered the gold bars and some foreign currency,” she said.

Both the gold bars and foreign currency have been seized for further investigation under the Customs and Excise Act and the Exchange Control Regulation.

The suspects have been detained and the matter has been taken over by the SAPS Organised Crime unit for criminal investigations.

Mathe said investigations are also underway by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) with the assistance of Interpol with authorities from various countries to determine the legitimacy of the certification papers as provided by the men and also to determine the country of origin where the gold was mined.

Investigations will also focus on which country the gold bars were destined for.

South Africa has as of Wednesday recorded a staggering 17 710 new cases – bringing the country’s cumulative total of COVID-19 cases to 1 039 161, indicating a positivity rate of 33%.

“The positivity rate, being an indicator of the rapidity of spread, remains of major concern,” said Health Minister, Dr Zwelini Mkhize.

A further 465 people lost their lives to COVID-19. Of these deaths 88 were recorded in Eastern Cape, Free State 4, Gauteng 41, KwaZulu-Natal 144, Limpopo 16, Northern Cape 7 and Western Cape 165.

This brings the total deaths to 28 033 deaths.

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

To date Eastern Cape has recorded 169 363 COVID-19 cases, Free State 62 287, Gauteng 282 624, KwaZulu-Natal 194 629, Limpopo 24 106, Mpumalanga 36 159, North West 39 531, Northern Cape 25 164 and Western Cape 205 280.

A cumulative 6 553 761 tests have been conducted with 53 279 tests completed since the last report.

Recoveries currently stand at 867 597 representing a recovery rate of 83%.

Leading experts in South Africa’s vaccine procurement strategy say while securing a COVID-19 vaccine is top of the country’s agenda, it is not a magic bullet that will end the pandemic.

“There is a general misunderstanding and we need to clarify that once the vaccines arrive on our doorstep, that is not the end of the epidemic.

“The first branches will go to protect healthcare workers and will have no effect on the population as such.

“Then there will be immunisation of the population and that is going to take a long time,” said Professor Barry Schoub, who is the Ministerial Advisory Committee chairperson on vaccine development.

Schoub, together with the Health Department Deputy Director General, Dr Anban Pillay, and South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) extramural unit researcher, Safura Abdool Karim, engaged in a panel discussion broadcast by the SABC on the COVID-19 vaccine outlook in 2021.

The panel discussion on vaccine procurement comes as South Africa recorded its highest daily infections, with 17 710 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the country’s cumulative total to 1 039 161.

South Africa is set to receive initial vaccines from the COVAX facility to cover 10% of its population in the early part of 2021.

Priority of the vaccine roll out will begin with healthcare workers, the elderly and those with comorbidities.

“The COVAX facility has indicated that we should expect delivery of the vaccine in quarter two [of 2021].

“They are trying very hard to get us delivery before that. If they succeed with the manufacturers, then we may get delivery earlier but we do not have a specific date as yet.

“COVAX indicated to us that in early January, they will  have a firm date on when exactly that delivery will come through and we will certainly communicate that as soon as we hear what that date is,” said Pillay.

Dispelling some misconceptions that government failed to procure the vaccine on time, Karim explained the historic inequity within the procurement of medicine.

“The one thing I would want to dispute is the idea that our situation is as a result of poor planning. The reason South Africa is not able to access the vaccine is in the way the US and UK have is that we are not a wealthy country and that is a historic inequity.

“Poorer countries are always left behind when it comes to health interventions and that is not a result of our government not wanting a vaccine. That is a result of a system that prioritises profits over people’s lives,” said Karim.

Additionally, Pillay said South Africa wants to acquire a vaccine with the best efficacy, which will be easily stored for mass roll out.

“One needs to bear in mind that the Pfizer vaccine needs to be stored at -70 degrees Celsius. Many countries did not opt to go with the Pfizer vaccine as a mass vaccination programme because it is very difficult to do that, particularly in a country like South Africa and many other developing nations that do not have storage capacity for -70 degrees.

“We have commercially only two large storage facilities that will keep a -70 degrees vaccine. So we would not be able to keep the large quantities that are required to vaccinate many people,” he said.

The Free State has been hard at work together with law enforcement agencies to protect residents from unscrupulous business practices.

The provincial Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs has been providing Consumer Protection Services to residents as part of its mandate.

According to the department, this year has presented additional challenges due to the national COVID-19 lockdown as many businesses unduly hiked prices, as well as sold expired and illicit goods.

“As we create our own economy, we have to make sure that our people are treated fairly and get value for their money from the products or services they procure,” Free State MEC for Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Makalo Mohale said on Wednesday.

The MEC recently inaugurated the Consumer Affairs Court made up of 10 respected legal practitioners with special interest in consumer rights.

In an effort to protect consumer rights, the department working together with other law enforcement agencies has this year conducted 720 inspections across 92 businesses and residential areas throughout the Free Sate.

Similarly, many businesses have been reported for unlawful and unfair treatment to numerous consumers in the Free State.

“To date, 76 customers have reported cases to the department’s Consumer Protection office valued at R3 038 805. Thirty-five of these cases have since been resolved at investigation stage.

“In the in 24 cases before the Consumer Court, during November and December, 11 cases, have been decided with 13 cases remaining on the roll. The Consumer Affairs Court litigates on consumer disputes that have not been resolved at investigation level,” the department said.

North West Premier, Professor Job Mokgoro, has encouraged communities to adhere to level 3 regulations so as to alleviate pressure on healthcare workers.

While chairing the virtual Provincial Command Council meeting on Tuesday evening, the Premier said people should stay at home, respect all health protocols and observe the rules of the road when travelling during this holiday period.

The Command Council expressed concern about the non-adherence to health protocols, particularly at various post offices where COVID-19 social relief of distress grants are collected.

As a result, the council directed law enforcement and compliance officers to closely monitor these areas during this period, and enforce compliance.

Law enforcement was also directed to monitor social gatherings that are prohibited under level 3, community behavior and adherence to the regulations, including the number of people attending funerals and adherence to curfew hours.

“With the number of hospital cases steadily increasing in Bojanala Platinum District, which is now a hotspot, the Command Council received a report on the Department of Health’s state of readiness to respond to the surge, including the continuous monitoring of hospitals’ capacity to admit patients,” the North West provincial government said on Wednesday.

The meeting welcomed the cancellation of year-end events that were planned by the Department of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation in response to the restrictions imposed on all social gatherings during the adjusted alert level 3.

The provision of additional food parcels has been arranged for distribution, where needed, across the four districts of the province.

Gauteng’s provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has met with representatives of the cash-in-transit (CIT) industry following a spike in the number of CIT incidents in the province.

Mawela, together with his Deputy responsible for Policing, Major General Tommy Mthombeni and the Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, led a delegation of senior officers from Crime Intelligence, Visible Policing and Detectives in Wednesday’s urgent engagement with CIT industry partners.

The intention of the engagement was to urgently address the recent upsurge in the number of CIT incidents in the province, and to subsequently strengthen relations and enhance cooperation between the SAPS and the industry.

“If we want to make a positive impact and mitigate this emerging urban terror, we will need to work hard on building a value-driven relationship with operational plans that are more proactive rather than reactive,” said the Lieutenant General.

Comparing the rate of occurrence of incidents this year to last year’s rate, Lieutenant General Mawela confirmed that there is a worrying spike in the rate and frequency of incidents of cash-in-transit robberies in Gauteng.

He added that urgent intervention and attention is required from all stakeholders.

The Commissioner emphasised the importance of reviewing existing plans and strengthening relations whereby both law enforcement and industry partners will with immediate effect, put measures in place and embark on rigorous operations focusing on averting/preventing incidents; response time; arrests; and prosecutorial-led investigations.

Mawela commended industry partners for the establishment of the CITASA (Cash-in-Transit Association of South Africa) and the subsequent roll-out of a state-of-the-art operational command centre where the SAPS will be represented. The SAPS will have access to shared services and technologies that will enhance efforts to flatten the spike in relation to cash-in-transit robberies.

“In addressing CIT robberies, we need to take cognisance of the fact that various secondary crimes emanate from these robberies and this ultimately has a bearing on the total crime picture of the province. One CIT robbery may at the end of the day result in additional crimes being recorded such as: malicious damage to property relating to the armoured vehicle; attempted murder and murder where in some instances security guards, police members and/or suspects have been shot and injured or killed; robbery of the money, hijacking for suspects’ getaway, and other crimes,” said Mawela.

At the meeting, all stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to work together with the SAPS and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) towards eradicating cash-in-transit robberies and related crimes.

The National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) on Tuesday provided detail on South Africa’s move to level 3 of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Briefing the media virtually, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, said the country finds itself in a grave situation, as COVID-19 infections continue to rise.

The Minister’s comments following an address by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday night, wherein he announced that South Africa has reverted to level 3 of lockdown, up from level 1.

The briefing was on developments in relation to the country’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic.

“Last night, the President warned us of the dangers. He warned us that we have to stick to the health protocols and change our behaviour,” Dlamini-Zuma said.

The Minister said many of the regulations were “not really new”.

Under adjusted alert level 3, every person is confined to their place of residence from 9pm until 6am daily. Those flouting the curfew would be committing an offence, for which a person would be liable for a fine or imprisonment not exceeding six months or both.

The Minister said the wearing of masks is mandatory.

“Government doesn’t want to arrest anyone. Please just wear your mask. [It is] not the aim of government to take people to prison,” she said.

Meanwhile, the closing time for cinemas, theatres, casinos, museums, galleries and archives, gyms and fitness centres, restaurants, venues hosting auctions and venues hosting professional sport is now set at 8pm. This is whether indoors or outdoors.

In outdoor settings, a cap is placed at 100 persons. However, if the venue is too small to hold the prescribed number of persons observing a distance of at least 1.5 metres from each other, then not more than 50% of the capacity of the venue may be used.

Funerals

On funerals, which have the capacity to become super-spreaders, Dlamini-Zuma emphasised that the number of people allowed at funerals has been cut back to 50.

“We were at 100 before but now we have to be 50, sitting 1.5 metre apart,” she said, adding that should a venue not be able to accommodate the 1.5m distance between mourners, then only half the number of people would be allowed to attend the funeral.

In addition, funerals are not allowed to take longer than two hours, with night vigils and “after tears” gatherings still not allowed.

Beaches

The Minister said beaches in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces are now closed to the public, with the exception of beaches in the Northern Cape, which has not been designated as a hotspot area.

Northern Cape beaches will open between 6am and 7pm, and be monitored for compliance with all health protocols and social distancing measures.

The closure of beaches and restrictions does not apply to fishermen for fishing purposes, who are in possession of a permit or exemption granted in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act, 1998 (Act No. 18 of 1998).

In addition, non-compliance with the prohibitions, conditions and hours of opening of beaches will result in the closure of those beaches throughout the festive season.

Game parks, hotels

Meanwhile, all public swimming pools, including recreational facilities at such places, are closed to the public.

However, game parks, botanical gardens, aquariums and zoos, where access control measures and entry limitations are already in place, will remain open to the public.

Hotels and lodges will remain open and can be filled to capacity, but in public/common spaces, they will have to observe 1.5m social distancing.

Liquor and international travel

The sale and dispensing of liquor for off-site consumption and for on-site consumption is prohibited.

When coming to international travel, the country’s 18 land borders, which were partially operational, will be fully operational. The 34 land borders, which were closed, will remain closed, except for the Kosibay Port of Entry, which will reopen on 1 January 2021.

Travelling to and from the Republic is allowed. All international travel is permitted, subject to the traveller providing a valid certificate of a negative test obtained not more than 72 hours before the date of travel.

“In terms of South African regulations, people can still travel,” said Dlamini-Zuma.

Faith gatherings and the sale of tobacco

Dlamini-Zuma said faith-based gatherings are not allowed.

“In terms of faith gatherings, these will not be allowed for two weeks,” she said.

Meanwhile, the sale of tobacco remains permissible.

Level 3 restrictions will remain in place until 15 January 2021.

A new cohort of health workers is set to assist the already constrained health system that is in the throes of a second COVID-19 wave, at the start of the New Year.

Expressing concern on the rising numbers of healthcare professionals becoming infected with COVID-19, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced that the Department of Health is expecting assistance with the employment of new health workers.

“It will greatly assist us to welcome, in a few days, 2 367 medical interns, 1 693 medical community service practitioners who will form part of a 7 895 strong community service workforce from all categories.

“This will provide relief to our exhausted frontline workers,” said the Minister on Tuesday.

This announcement follows a surge in COVID-19 cases in the country with 1 011 871 cumulative cases reported on Monday.

South Africa has also surpassed the peak of the first wave compelling government to tighten restrictions and move the country to adjusted level 3 of the lockdown.

The majority of new cases are from KwaZulu-Natal with 2 275 (30,5%) followed by the Western Cape at 2 191 cases (29,4%), Gauteng at 1 849 cases (24,8%) and the Eastern Cape at 384 cases (5,1%).

The overall positivity rate for newly tested individuals is 32,9%, with the Western Cape at 45,6%, followed by Limpopo at 41,0%, KwaZulu-Natal at 36,0% and Mpumalanga at 33,1%.

“These positivity rates are extremely high and are a major concern. Overall we need to test more and target a positivity rate of 10% or less.  [In addition], 11 256 patients are currently hospitalised- this is 8,3 % of our active cases. Of these 3 543 are on oxygen and 604 are on ventilators,” said the Minister.

According to the resurgence thresholds, the majority of districts in South Africa are in response phase – this means greater than or equal to 20% increase in new COVID-19 cases compared to 7 days prior.

Provinces are now instituting their tailored resurgence plans, adapted from the surge plan that was developed together with the World Health Organisation.

The key focus areas of the resurgence plan include governance and leadership, medical supplies, port and environmental health, epidemiology and response, facility readiness, case management, information systems, risk communication and community engagement, occupational health and safety and human resources.

PPE stock shortage

To combat stock shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), Mkhize encouraged trade unions to access the dashboard and use the Stock Visibility System to monitor availability.

“Currently, overall availability of PPE is at 87.1%. We encourage unions to access the dashboard and use the Stock Visibility System to assist us with stock surveillance and movement and continue to be active participants in OHS committees as was jointly resolved over the course of the pandemic,” he said.

COVID-19 strains non-COVID related services

With the resurgence of the virus, the Minister urged citizens to adhere to protocols to enable non-COVID related services to continue.

“The alcohol ban will greatly assist to reduce the trauma burden on our facilities over the festive season and save lives.

“…We do not want a situation where we bring COVID-19 under control, only to find that other major public health burdens become exacerbated by neglect,” he said.

Mkhize reminded citizens to ensure they access essential services such as immunisations, antenatal care for expectant mothers, screening and testing for other communicable diseases such as malaria, HIV, and TB.

He also called for the screening and testing for non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, prostate, cervical and breast cancer and voluntary male circumcision.