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Acting Gauteng Health MEC, Jacob Mamabolo, has expressed disappointment at the discovery of personal protective equipment (PPE), which was found dumped in a river in Pretoria on Sunday.

A video of the dumped PPE consignment was circulated on social media at the weekend.

Mamabolo was made aware of the discovery during an inspection of facilities across the province on Sunday. The footage shows the consignment floating in a river in Irene.

“The Acting MEC visited the site where the said PPE was dumped. He expressed disappointment that people would dump PPE during a global pandemic and additionally pollute the environment. He called on the police to track down whoever is responsible and ensure that they are brought to book.

“The MEC has directed the [provincial Department of Health] to check if any of the PPE matches those at our various storage facilities,” the department said in a statement.

Since last Friday, the MEC has visited various health facilities across the province, interacting with senior managers. During the five days, Mamabolo also visited PPE storage facilities.

The department said the visits were to ensure a continuation of the comprehensive health response to COVID-19 while MEC Dr Bandile Masuku is on special leave.

Mamabolo has visited three warehouses in Centurion, Roodepoort and Vanderbiljpark to inspect PPE stock levels.

He has also visited various facilities in the five districts as follows: regional hospitals (Sebokeng, Thelle Mogoerane, Pholosong, Far East Rand, Mamemlodi, Leratong, Thambo Memorial and Edenvale); district hospitals (Kopanong, Bertha Gxowa, Jubilee, Yusuf Dadoo, Caltonville, Heideliberg and Tshwane District Hospital); tertiary hospitals (Hellen Joseph, Kalafong and Thembisa) and academic hospitals (Chris Hani Baaragwanath, Chrlotte Maxeke, Dr George Mkhari and Steve Biko), including Johan Heyns Community Health Centre and Sterkfkontein Specialised Hospital.

At the hospitals, Mamabolo discussed with senior clinical staff the management of confirmed COVID-19 positive patients, patients under investigation and the fever tents that are meant to augment designated wards for COVID-19.

Facilities were also requested to give an update on the rate of COVID-19 infection among staff members.

Mamabolo interacted with organised labour, who gave him a sense of what is happening concerning the provision of PPE to staff members. Some of the unions expressed satisfaction, while others raised concerns about the quantity of PPE provided.

“The observations made will help strengthen the response of the provincial government to contain the spread of COVID-19. Our priority continues to be saving lives and mobilising sectors of society to work together with government in the fight against Coronavirus,” said Mamabolo.

The first team of experts from the World Health Organisation, who will assist South Africa in its fight against Coronavirus, is set to arrive in the country today.

A total of 43 senior experts from across the globe, including renowned specialists Dr David Heymann (a seasoned infectious disease epidemiologist and public health expert) and Dr Mike Ryan, are among the team that will assist the country to refine its efforts against the pandemic.

“Dr Mike Ryan will lead the team from Geneva and will… provide us with constant advice while analysing our strategies, including the decisions we have taken as the Department of Health in our COVID-19 response,” said Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize.

The Minister made the announcement during a virtual briefing on Wednesday where he provided an update on government’s efforts to fight Coronavirus.

The arrival of the team of experts comes as South Africa ranks in the top five globally in terms of the number of infections.

Making the announcement, Mkhize thanked WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, for his continuous support and counsel.

“We see this as a great opportunity not only to improve our health strategies during this pandemic, but also to accelerate our path towards health care reform,” said the Minister.

The first 17 experts will touch down on South African soil today and will complete a period of quarantine and initiation before being deployed within the department and across various provinces.

South Africa has benefitted from treatment developments, which have led to a reduction in the mortality rate, as COVID-19 infections surge.

“It appears we may have benefitted from treatment developments as we were experiencing our surge.

“Our indications are that there has already been an improvement in the survival rate from ICU, where the mortality has been reduced demonstrably. One study shows ICU mortality has been reduced by about 25% since the introduction of dexamethasone on 16 June,” said Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, during a virtual COVID-19 update briefing on Wednesday.

In another study undertaken by the Medical Research Council, ICU survival rates showed a dramatic improvement at 30% – 40%, whereas the ICU mortality rate at the beginning of the pandemic was around 80%.

Bed, oxygen and staff capacity

In its assessment on the availability of beds, oxygen and staff, the Health Department said it has not breached its bed capacity and continues to fill vacancies where there are gaps.

“While there have been constraints, work has been done to ensure vacancies are filled. However, we can also confirm that we have not breached our bed capacity and many of our field hospitals are not filled to capacity. We continue to monitor this as we manage the surge,” said the Minister.

While the country has experienced challenges, Mkhize said South Africa has thus far coped with the surge.

“I want to submit, with all humility, that up to now, our government has displayed its readiness and has thus far coped with the surge,” he said.

While government is coping with the surge in infections, the department has directed all provinces to enter into service level agreements with private health facilities to ensure that when bed shortages are experienced, alternatives can be explored.

Update on vaccines

On efforts to finding a vaccine, Mkhize said while it is still early days, government has undertaken to get involved and invest in the development of a vaccine against the novel Coronavirus.

“Currently, we are participating in the ChAdOx-1 study and in the COVAX project to be part of the global research initiatives, as well as access to vaccine programmes. We also wish to pursue the possibility of manufacturing vaccines locally.”

The Competition Commission has slapped Cambridge Food Jozini, in KwaZulu-Natal, with a fine for hiking the price of 25kg maize meal during a lockdown.

Following a complaint, the investigation revealed that before the declaration of the national state of disaster, Cambridge Food Jozini was selling the 25kg top white maize meal at far lower prices.

However, in April, the retailer increased it from R129.99 to R159.99 without a corresponding increase in costs, which contravenes the Competition Act, read together with Regulation 4 of the Consumer Protection Regulations, the Commission found.

“The Competition Commission welcomes the decision of the Competition Tribunal on 28 July 2020 that confirms as order the consent agreement between the Commission and a KZN based company Cambridge Food Jozini, a division of Cambridge Food (Pty) Ltd, and a subsidiary of Massmart Holdings Limited,” the Commission said.

Cambridge Food Jozini has since agreed to reduce its gross profit margin on the 25kg top white maize meal for the duration of a national state of disaster.

In addition, the food retailer will also donate essential goods to Siyaphambili Qondile Home Based Care Project 1 to the value of R24 947.

According to the Commission, it has referred and settled 30 COVID-19 related cases to the total value of R15 380 849.58 of which R5 573 380.88 has been donated to the Solidarity Fund.

“There have also been donations of essential goods to affected communities to the total value of R 551 886.70.”

Meanwhile, the Commission urges firms to comply with the Competition Act during the state of national disaster and desist from exploiting consumers.

The Department of Social Development in KwaZulu-Natal has suspended a number of high-ranking officials implicated in the procurement of blankets and personal protective equipment (PPEs).

This follows a forensic investigation report conducted into the procurement of the goods.

The procured goods also included sanitisers, wet wipes, soups and towels.

Social Development MEC, Nonhlanhla Khoza on Tuesday said a number of allegations that were reported in the media prompted the investigation.

The Provincial Executive Council requested Provincial Treasury to conduct a forensic investigation into the alleged irregularities.

She said the investigation report had recommended that disciplinary action be taken against the Acting Head of Department, Acting Deputy Director-General, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Acting Supply Chain Manager, Cluster Chief Directors, and Supply Chain Management (SCM) officials.

The officials are accused of contravening, among others, sections 45, 81 and 88 of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) of 1999.

The officials are also facing charges of misconduct in terms of Chapter 7, read with various SCM prescripts.

Khoza acknowledged the work done by a team of investigators set up by the Provincial Executive Council of KwaZulu-Natal to unearth malfeasance in the procurement of goods to be used in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The MEC also welcomed the investigation report and said the department would ensure that all those implicated would be held to account.

Rooting out corruption

She said that the suspension of officials, including the removal of one employee in her office shows the department’s commitment that it will not tolerate corruption.

“As a department we were taken aback by the outcome of the forensic investigation report, as presented by Premier Sihle Zikalala. The information unearthed by the investigation points to the high level of recklessness by officials tasked with safeguarding taxpayers’ monies,” Khoza said.

Khoza said she has since instructed the Head of Department, as an Accounting Officer, Nelly Vilakazi, to ensure that the recommendations of the report are implemented to the latter.

The MEC said that the department takes a strong exception to corruption and maladministration, especially during this period, when people are battling the scourge of COVID-19 and the ripple effect it has on other aspects of life.

“We will ensure that taxpayers’ money that was spent irregularly is recovered. Not only will we deal with officials, but we will also deal with companies that were involved in the process,” said the MEC.

She added that the department has engaged a multidisciplinary team, comprising officials from Social Development, Office of the Premier, and the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), to ensure the speedy implementation of the recommendations of the report.

The department has also opened two criminal charges with Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks).

“One would like to thank Premier Zikalala for providing leadership on the matter and we will ensure that we complete the process by ensuring accountability for each and every cent spent.  We would also like to thank members of the media for their role in the matter,” MEC Khoza said.

The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, has reiterated to sports federations that transformation must be taken seriously.

According to the 2018/2019 Eminent Persons Group (EPG) report, swimming and hockey failed to meet their self-set barometer targets on transformation.

“They now have an obligation of making a representation as to why the Minister should not impose one or more of the enforcement measures,” the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture said on Wednesday.

Cricket was given conditional approval because, among other reasons, they fared poorly on African representation. However, they did achieve 70% of their self-set barometer targets, which is higher than the 50% required to avoid penalty imposition.

On an annual basis, the department releases the EPG report. This year’s report was published in June 2020.

“The Minister had an opportunity to study the report and made his assessment on the state of transformation in the 19 codes of sport. Having made his assessment, he is now meeting with the individual federations for the EPG to present their report and to engage further on its findings,” the department said.

The Minister said federations should take the issue of transformation seriously, as it is non-negotiable.

“As the Minister of this portfolio, I would be failing the people of South Africa and violating our constitution if I fail to act decisively against sport transformation delinquents,” the Minister said.

For those federations that achieve less than 50% of self-set targets, one or more of the following penalties may apply:

• The suspension or withdrawal of government funding.

• The authority to bid or stage international tournaments locally may be revoked.

• The withdrawal of the right to award national colours.

• The withdrawal of the recognition of a national federation, in terms of the National Sport and Recreation Act, 1998 (Act No 110 of 1998, as amended).

These three federations are now required to give a convincing motivation as to why the Minister should not consider enforcing transformation, as per the above penalties.

Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, says while South Africa is making progress in its fight against the Coronavirus, it is still too early to claim the victory of a decline.

“There were reports that the hospitals were full and we went around confirmed that it is admission areas that were filling up. The field hospital beds have never been full and even today we have not filled Nasrec. However the trends are now decreasing but we are not out of the woods yet,” said Mkhize.

The Minister was speaking during a virtual briefing on Wednesday where he provided an update on the country’s efforts to fight the Coronavirus.

To determine if the country is indeed on the brink of decline, the Minister said key indicators such as hospital admissions, hospital capacity and the mortality rate must be taken into account.

Mkhize said despite the surge, the country has not breached hospital capacity; has a low mortality rate and has seen reduced hospital admissions and patients under investigation presenting in health facilities.

“Whilst we are cautiously optimistic, it is still too early for us to make definite conclusions regarding the observed decline. We need to continue to track all these indicators and ensure that our testing capacity reflects a realist picture of our epidemiological status.

“We will therefore only know for sure when there is a consistent decline over a period,” he said.

As of Tuesday, South Africa recorded 521 318 COVID-19 cases with 345 new COVID-19 related deaths pushing the death to 8 884.

“We are happy that even with the targeted testing approach which we adopted as a department based on the Ministerial Advisory Committee advice, our testing numbers continue to grow. To date we have tested 3 078 202.

“This translates to a testing rate of 51 514 per million population which compares well to global figures,” said the Minister.

As part of improving the records of COVID-19 related deaths in response to reports on excess deaths, the Minister announced that his department now requires that all the sudden deaths and those that occur at home must have specimens taken for COVID-19 before a death certificate is issued.

Mkhize said while containment measures such as the wearing of masks, sanitizing of hands and social distancing are working, the risk of experiencing a second wave remains a possibility.

“The containment measures being implemented are assisting however, we must not be complacent.

“The real risk of experiencing the ‘second wave’ of the pandemic remains, so containment measures must never be abandoned,” he said.

Until the country is completely safe, the Minister said government will keep reviewing restrictions and, if necessary certain restrictions will still remain in place.

Following Wednesday’s update, the Health Minster said he will be tabling recommendations to the National Coronavirus Command Council on the way forward.

“We will be tabling recommendations to the National Coronavirus Command Council and therefore at some point during the course of next week we should be able to get further guidance from the national Command Council and the President,” he said.

Twenty-three people, including officials of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), have appeared in court on charges of alleged theft, fraud and corruption.

The group appeared in the Nelspruit Regional Court on Tuesday, said the Hawks.

The 23 officials and accomplices have been warned to appear in the same court again on 4 September 2020.

In April 2016, the officials approached and recruited individuals to submit their identity documents to register them for disability grants.

The alleged fraudulent grants were used to channel money to the officials whilst the so-called beneficiaries were compensated with a small portion.

“The matter was reported to the police and the investigation revealed that all beneficiaries were in fact not disabled despite having been registered as such.  The investigation around the matter was finalised and the accused were served with court summonses to appear before court,” said Hawks Mpumalanga spokesperson, Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi.

Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, has made public the list of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) who benefited through the much-needed Tourism Relief Funding.

The R200 million Tourism Relief Funding has successfully supported 4 000 businesses that were negatively affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Many of the business have utilised the fund to subsidise expenses towards fixed costs, operational costs, supplies and other pressure costs items,” said the Department of Tourism on Tuesday.

The department said the allocation of funds was conducted in line with government policies.

“Allocation of funds to ordinary South Africans, was conducted in line with government policies and ensured that the benefit is spread geographically across the country to cover even businesses in small villages and townships,” it said.

The list of beneficiaries of this grant, capped at R50 000, can now be accessed on www.tourism.gov.za

“As government, we remain committed to working with all stakeholders in whatever way we can, as we understand that these are extremely difficult times for the sector and this situation demands that we work together to weather the storm going forward,” the department said.

The beneficiaries per province across the sub-sectors of accommodation, hospitality and travel services are as follows:

• Eastern Cape – 457
• Free State – 134
• Gauteng – 1017
• KwaZulu-Natal – 607
• Limpopo – 294
• Mpumalanga – 238
• North West – 162
• Northern Cape – 124
• Western Cape – 967

The Department of Health on Tuesday said 345 more people have died of COVID-19-related illnesses, among them two children.

Of the additional deaths, 116 are from Gauteng, 97 from the Western Cape, 89 from KwaZulu-Natal and 43 from the Eastern Cape, bringing the tally to 8 884.

The KwaZulu-Natal Health Department said two children died from COVID-19, a three-month-old baby girl and a four-year-old boy.

The province explained that 89 deaths did not occur in the past 24 hours. “However, due to late reporting and a high number of patients dying as persons under investigation (PUIs), there is a delay in reporting them,” the KwaZulu-Natal Health Department said.

Meanwhile, with 4 456 new identified COVID-19 infections, the country now has 521 318 cases to date.

The hardest-hit provinces include Gauteng with 183 090 cases, Western Cape 97 261, KwaZulu-Natal 85 986 and Eastern Cape 79 844.

The Free State has had 24 333 infections since the outbreak, North West 20 270, Mpumalanga 15 716, Limpopo 9 389 and Northern Cape 5 379.

Fifty are still unallocated.

“The number of recoveries currently stands at 363 751 which translates to a recovery rate of 69.8%,” the Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said.

In addition, the total number of tests conducted to date is 3 078 202 of which 19 507 were done since the last report.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are 18 142 718 cases worldwide and 691 013 deaths.

“With over 18 million cases reported, and new cases rising by around 250 000 each day, now is not the time to be complacent,” WHO said.

“As some economies and societies open up, WHO continues to urge the public to remain vigilant and take precautions to avoid getting COVID-19; while urging countries to increase testing and contact tracing to ensure no cases are missed and ensure appropriate treatment is available.”