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Mpumalanga has recorded its first death as the number of COVID-19 infections increased by 2 312 to 48 285.

Meanwhile, in the Western Cape, 45 people succumbed to the COVID-19 related disease, bringing the death toll to 998 as of Sunday.

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

The Western Cape remains the epicentre with 31 824 cases, followed by the Eastern Cape with 5 974 and Gauteng with 5 946.

Mkhize to visit the Eastern Cape

Mkhize is heading to the Eastern Cape this week following the Ministerial and Presidential visit to the Western Cape last week.

According to the department, the Eastern Cape has similar numbers to Gauteng but it has recorded the second-highest mortality numbers.

The department believes this is due to its proximity and interconnectedness with the Western Cape, which makes the province vulnerable.

“In addition, there is an increase in infection rate amongst healthcare workers both in the public and private sectors,” the department said.

The province had recorded 258 COVID-19 positive health professionals and 14 deaths.

“The Minister of Health will be returning to the Eastern Cape later this week whilst the Deputy Minister will go to the Western Cape to continue Ministerial oversight there,” the department said.

The department said the province is working around the clock to deal with hotspot areas and facilitating a strong community-based response while addressing the Personal Protective Equipment shortages.

In addition, the province is also now supported by experts from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).

“The team members from the NICD worked with the contact tracing and community screening teams while Wayne Ramkrishna, an expert in malaria, vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, worked with the Finance, Clinical Management, Infection Prevention and Control as well as the Occupational Health and Safety team to assess the PPE needs in the Eastern Cape.”

The department has made provision with 20 members of the Cuban brigade to bolster the response; particularly community-based response, while 840 additional nurses have been employed.

“We are in constant dialogue with health care workers and their unions on labour issues.”

The department is also clearing the testing backlog in the various centres.

“In Port Elizabeth, the backlog has been reduced from 13 000 to 5106. By Monday it should be around 4 000 then by next week completely cleared.”

Meanwhile, the department is dealing with the Umthatha backlog which is currently at 8 000.

“East London is still a challenge because there is no resident pathologist. The GeneXpert does not require a pathologist to interpret and so that is what is being used in East London, however, there has been a shortage of kits.”

This week the central office will be increasing the number of kits being sent to East London, the department said.

“The National Health Laboratory Service is also looking into sending other testing modalities that don’t require pathologists.”

The department said both the Western Cape and Eastern Cape have been proactive in conducting roadside screenings because many essential seasonal workers travel between the provinces.

“The Western Cape now has a co-ordinated programme of screening and assessing seasonal travellers before they leave to go home to the Eastern Cape.”

The Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) has dismissed four senior officials in its Protection Services Department, who have been found guilty of procurement irregularities.

The dismissals are the culmination of a disciplinary inquiry, following allegations of impropriety in the awarding of security related tenders.

“The malfeasance in supply chain management and the Protection Services Departments has undermined Prasa’s ability to ensure the protection of its infrastructure, which is critical to the proper functioning of our passenger rail system,” Prasa Administrator Bongisizwe Mpondo said on Monday in a statement.

On Friday, the disciplinary inquiry handed down its ruling on a sanction of summary dismissal against all four of the senior officials.

According to the ruling, the senior officials violated their responsibilities, which are to ensure that Prasa maintains an appropriate procurement system, which is fair; equitable; transparent; competitive and cost effective, including ensuring that Prasa’s supply chain management system performs in relation to the prescripts of the Public Finance Management Act.

Prasa said the dismissals are yet another important milestone in the clean-up of the entity, which started when Mpondo took office in December.

Mpondo’s appointment came after Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula dissolved Prasa’s interim board and placed the entity under administration.

“Prasa will continue to address the problem of irregular procurement through capacitation of employees for better understanding of the processes as well as through consequence management, as today’s action demonstrates. We will leave no stone unturned as we root out corruption and non-compliance at Prasa,” Mpondo said.

He has encouraged all employees and the public to continue to utilise the Prasa whistleblowing hotline number 0800 026 777 and secure email: prasa@behonest.co.za

KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza, on Monday condemned the circulation of a child pornography video that has been circulating on social media.

This as a 30-second video, which depicts three children engaged in a sexual act, has been widely shared in various social media platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp.

“We are really taken aback by this abhorrent conduct. The circulation of the video of this nature is bound to affect the lives of the children in the video. It is even more sickening that adults are behind the circulation of the video, as these are people on whom we rely to stem the tide of social ills bedevilling our country,” said Khoza.

The video’s circulation comes as South Africa recently marked Child Protection Week, which concluded on Sunday, 7 June.

Led by the Department of Social Development, Child Protection Week is commemorated annually to raise awareness of the rights of children as articulated in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and Children’s Act (Act No. 38 of 2005).

The MEC made a clarion call to communities to stop the circulation of the video, as this would ensure that not many children are exposed to it.

She also implored parents to play an active role in their children’s lives by ensuring that they monitor the content children access on the internet and on social media.

“This horrifying video of three children engaged in sexual activity should remind parents to have access to the gadgets used by the children. Parents should not let children out of their sight to avoid such issues. It is our responsibility to protect and teach our children about what needs to be done in life,” Khoza said.

She further called on communities to report anyone distributing the video to the police.

Khoza warned that sharing child pornography is prohibited by law, and anyone found guilty of such could face jail time.

“The laws prohibit the showing of pornography to children, using children in child pornography, compelling children to witness sexual acts, and indecent exposure to children. Anyone found to be a source of the video should face prosecution.

“Everyone should be involved in fighting sexual violence and vicious attacks directed at children. This video has sent shockwaves to all of us and has raised concerns about the safety of our children. As we wrap up Child Protection Week, such a video should remind us of our responsibility as parents,” said the MEC.

Khoza has also called upon members of the community to help the department identify the children on the video so they can offer them psycho-social support.

She has further ordered the Child Unit within the department to work closely with the law enforcement agencies to deal with the matter.

Ten out of 747 licensed liquor premises inspected in KwaZulu-Natal have been shutdown for contravening the COVID-19 regulations.

According to a statement from the office of the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, the common areas of contravention include failure to close according to trading times, sale of expired liquor, failure to screen employee and patrons’ hands and ensuring social distancing.

Alcohol sales are now open under level 3 from Monday through Thursday between 9am and 5pm for home consumption.

“The sale of expired liquor and mixers is one of the common areas of contraventions that has been picked up by inspectors,” MEC Dube-Ncube said on Saturday.

The department said it would continue with the inspection conducted by the KZN Liquor Authority, South African Police Service and other law enforcement agencies throughout the week.

“The KZN liquor authority is empowered to recommend the suspension of the liquor license until the end of a lockdown or for three months.

“It should be emphasised that inspectors will continue to act firmly should there be any evidence indicating the violation of the sale of liquor in terms of the KZN Liquor Licensing Act,” the MEC said.

Meanwhile, the department said it was grateful to the majority of liquor traders and license holders in general who are complying with the COVID-19 regulations governing the sale of liquor during this period.

“We reiterate as the department that these regulations are aimed at ensuring the health and safety of customers, workers, liquor traders and the people of this province as a whole,” she added.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law legislation that will improve the safety of navigation in South Africa’s territorial waters, professionalise the country’s diplomatic foreign service and give citizens access to information about funding for political parties.

The Presidency made the announcement in a statement on Friday.

The Hydrographic Act provides for the establishment of the Hydrographic Office as a unit within the South African Navy, with the responsibility for the safety of navigation in South Africa’s exclusive economic zone and the internal waters of the Republic.

The office will ensure that hydrographic surveying is done in accordance with the international specifications and will issue sailing directions, notices to mariners and nautical publications in addition to other services.

“This is vital for the safe use and economic management of the marine resources along South Africa’s 3 000km coastline, which is at the centre of an important global shipping route,” said the Presidency.

The Act emanated from the need to recognise and grant legislative status to the Office of the Hydrographer, which has been in existence within the South African Navy since 21 July 1954.

This flows as well from the Defence Review of 2014, which recommended that South Africa’s international hydrographic and nautical charting obligations, responsibilities and liabilities be formalised in law.

Hydrography is a branch of applied sciences, which deals with the measurement and description of the physical features of oceans, seas, coastal areas, lakes and rivers, as well as the prediction of their change over time, for the primary purpose of safety of navigation and in support of all other maritime activities, including economic development, security and defence, scientific research, and environmental protection.

Foreign Service Act

The Foreign Service Act provides for the administration, accountability and functioning of a professional foreign service of the Republic of South Africa that will be managed by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

The legislation governs the operational requirements that are suitable and supportive of the operations of the Foreign Service in a global environment.

The Foreign Service is tasked with promoting and advancing South Africa’s international relations and cooperation by representing the Republic in an effective, coherent and comprehensive manner abroad.

The Act creates an enabling administrative and management framework through which the Foreign Service will be managed and regulated in a consolidated and coherent manner by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

At present, the management of officials from various departments serving abroad is fragmented, not consistent and in many cases, not optimal.

The new legislation outlines government’s intent to address these concerns.

Among other provisions, the law provides for the minimum requirements a person must meet to qualify for transfer to a South African Mission. It also regulates the appointment of Heads of Mission and the requirements that such persons should have in order to be appointed.

The Act also deals with the recall of members of the Foreign Service and provides that a member of the Foreign Service, who commits any act outside the Republic that constitutes misconduct, will be prosecuted in South Africa, as if the offence had been committed inside the country.

Promotion of Access to Information Amendment Act

The Promotion of Access to Information Amendment Act (PAIA) provides for the recording, preservation and disclosure of information on the private funding of political parties and independent candidates.

The Bill gives effect to the Constitutional Court judgment in My Vote Counts NPC v Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and Another [2018] ZACC 18, which required Parliament to amend PAIA and to take any other measure it deems appropriate to provide for the recordal, preservation and facilitation of reasonable access to information on the private funding of political parties and independent candidates.

Child Justice Amendment Act

The Child Justice Amendment Act provides for an increase of the minimum age of criminal capacity of a child 10 to 12 years old.

It also repeals the requirement to prove criminal capacity for the purpose of diversion and preliminary inquiries.

This legislative change arises from a recommendation in the Report on the Review of the Minimum Age of Criminal Capacity, that the minimum age of criminal capacity should be increased from 10 years to 12 years.

The Report further recommended that the provisions in the Act, which require the State to prove the criminal capacity of a child who is 10 years or older but under the age of 14 years for purpose of diversion and preliminary inquiries, should be removed.

IPID Act

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate Amendment Act provides for parliamentary oversight in relation to the suspension, discipline or removal of the Executive Director of IPID.

The Directorate is mandated to investigate serious criminal offences, allegedly committed by members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Municipal Police Services (MPS).

The new amendment gives effect to the Constitutional Court judgment in McBride v Minister of Police and Another [2016] ZACC 30.

The Constitutional Court declared as invalid certain provisions of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Act, which authorised the Minister of Police to suspend the Executive Director, to take disciplinary steps against the Executive Director following suspension, and to remove the Executive Director from office.

The Constitutional Court then ordered Parliament to address the defects in the legislation.

Motorists and fleet-owners, whose car licences expired during the lockdown, can skip the long queues at the Traffic Department by renewing them at their local Post Office during level 3.

According to the Post Office’s spokesperson, Johan Kruger, the service has resumed at all Post Office branches that offer it.

He reminded people to carry their identity document and that both cash and card payments are accepted.

However, motorists are advised to avoid the period between the 4th and 7th of every month, as branches are usually packed with South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) customers.

“Another date to avoid is the 21st of every month. Car owners receive 21 days grace after the expiry of their car licences, and Post Offices find that customers flock to the branches on this day to renew at the last minute,” he explained.

Kruger said most branches also do renewals offer a bulk renewal service for fleet owners, however, customers are advised to enquire with their local branches first.

He said the service was available in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, North West and Limpopo.

If you did not receive a renewal notice, you can download the form at https://www.postoffice.co.za/Products/Domestic/vehiclelicenserenewalform… and complete it in advance to save time.

Several South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) offices in KwaZulu-Natal have temporarily shut down due to positive cases of COVID-19.

According to the KZN SASSA’s spokesperson, Sandy Godlwana, the three local offices are the Mandeni, Ladysmith and Midlands District offices.

“The Department of Health has been requested to test all affected officials and while awaiting the results, these officials will be in self-isolation,” she said.

Management has also arranged for the decontamination of the district and local offices concerned.

“It is against this background that the offices had to close.”

Godlwana is advising clients who utilise the SASSA Midlands District and Ladysmith local offices to use the eZakheni local office, while the Mandeni customers are encouraged to visit the Stanger local office for all social grants applications or services.

She said patron clients will be informed as soon as the offices have re-opened.

For enquiries, clients can contact the SASSA toll-free number on 0800 601 011 or 033 846 3400.

Cabinet has resolved to appeal the North Gauteng High Court judgment that declared COVID-19 regulations under levels 3 and 4 invalid and unconstitutional.

Minister in the Presidency, Jackson Mthembu, announced this during a media briefing on the outcomes of a Cabinet virtual meeting held earlier on Thursday.

According to Judge Norman Davis’s ruling handed down on Tuesday, the lockdown regulations do not satisfy the rationality test.

“Their encroachment on and limitation of rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights contained in the Constitution are not justifiable in an open democratic society based on human dignity, equality and freedom as contemplated in Section 36 of the Constitution,” Davis said in his ruling.

Davis gave government 14 days to alter the guidelines, meaning level 3 regulations remain in place until new regulations were published.

However, Mthembu said Cabinet is of the view that another court might come into a different conclusion on the matter.

“Cabinet has therefore decided to appeal the North Gauteng High Court decision and government will ask that its appeal is heard on an urgent basis so that all of us can obtain certainty on the regulations,” he said.

He told the media that the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, will be joined by President Cyril Ramaphosa and Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, in the appeal.

“Cabinet wishes to assure the nation that all interventions introduced since the declaring of the National State of Disaster in March 2020 by President Cyril Ramaphosa have been directed primarily at saving the lives of our people,” said Mthembu.

The regulations, which placed restrictions on the movement of people and stopped some economic activities, have been directed at  slowing the spread of COVID-19 infections.

“While government appeals the judgment, parent regulations remain in force and we appeal and urge our people to observe the health protocols that have been put in place, including washing of hands, social distancing, wearing masks in public, as well as screening and referral for testing where necessary.”

He announced that Cabinet has also approved the extension of the National State of Disaster by another month from 15 of June to 15 July 2020.

“It’s with all the regulations that will help us save lives and nothing else, that’s why the appeal,” he added. “We urge our people to stick to these rules.”

Western Cape visit       

Meanwhile, Cabinet remains concerned about the intensity and increase of COVID-19 infections in the Western Cape.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will be in Cape Town on Friday to assess the Western Cape’s provincial response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The province is currently the country’s epicentre and accounts for nearly two-thirds of infections nationally and President Ramaphosa will discuss the situation with Premier Alan Winde and the provincial executive.

The President will be accompanied by Minister Mkhize, Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, Police Minister Bheki Cele, Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille.

The visit follows oversight visits by the President to Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape to evaluate the fight against COVID-19.

Child Protection Week

Cabinet is also calling on people to observe Child Protection Week, which started on 31 May and ends on 7 June 2020.

“Child Protection Week seeks to elevate issues of the protection of children throughout the year. This year’s theme is: Let Us All Protect Children, During COVID-19 and Beyond,” he added.

Water shortage

Cabinet said they have also noted the recent drop in dam levels, particularly in the Western Cape.

“As a water-scarce country, dam levels have a negative impact on our water needs. Cabinet, therefore, makes an appeal to all of us to use water sparingly,” said Mthembu.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 in South Africa is 37 525, while the death toll has spiked to 792.

Out of the 37 recorded deaths on Wednesday, 29 are in the Western Cape, seven in the Eastern Cape and one in KwaZulu-Natal. On Tuesday, 50 people lost their lives due to COVID-19 related disease.

The Western Cape still has the highest number of cases reported at 24 657, followed by Gauteng with 4 567 and Eastern Cape with 4 526.

According to the Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, the same pattern that drove the outbreak in the Western Cape is now building up in the Eastern Cape.

“The two provinces now consist of 78% of all the positive cases,” he said, adding that the Eastern Cape is getting extra attention to curb the spread of Coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the country has conducted 785 979 tests since the outbreak, while the number of recorded recoveries is sitting at 19 682.

The North West Health Department has expressed concern about the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the province’s mines, as the number of cases rose to 314, as of Wednesday.

According to the department’s spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane, 74 confirmed cases, previously allocated to Gauteng, have since been reallocated to the province after data harmonisation and the verification of addresses.

“[The] majority of these cases are mine-related in Rustenburg,” he said.

Lekgethwane said mines have become hotspots for Coronavirus in the province and they are working around the clock to curb the infections in these communities.

“Miners should be screened before they start work and those who come from hotspot provinces like the Western Cape, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape should be screened and tested before they start work,” he said.

He urged companies to ensure that mineworkers who test positive for COVID-19 are isolated with their contacts at quarantine sites approved by government.

“Mines that were lagging behind in terms of compliance and case management have been ordered to work with district health chief directors to ensure compliance,” Lekgethwane added.

The North West Health MEC, Madoda Sambatha, has since been visiting mining houses in the province to assess the level of compliance with lockdown regulations.

Hotspot districts

The Bojanala District is the province’s epicentre, with the highest cases at 186, with 33 recoveries and one death, followed by Dr Kenneth Kaunda at 99, with 20 recoveries.

Meanwhile, Ngaka Modiri Molema now has 19 cases with five recoveries, while Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District has five cases and one reported recovery.

Of the total confirmed cases, the majority are linked to mines in Bojanala Platinum, Dr Kenneth Kaunda and Ngaka Modiri Molema.

The province said they have now screened over three million people.

“This is good progress, considering the total population of North West now stands at just below four million people.

“Mass screening and contact tracing remain key to prevention of rapids infections and all districts are above 90% contact tracing and all suspected cases are referred for testing,” Lekgethwane said, adding that they have tested 2 636 people.

Treatment protocol, PPE and quarantine facilities

Lekgethwane said a lot was achieved during lockdown level 4 and 5.

“Treatment protocols have been developed for a coherent response in the screening, testing and treatment of suspected, as well as confirmed cases.”

The province has also increased bed availability through partnerships with the private sector and mining companies.

“We have also ensured the availability of medicines required to treat the complications of COVID-19, analgesic, antipyretics, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, anticoagulants, Zinc Sulphate and Vitamin C,” said Lekgethwane.

In addition, hospital capacity has been ramped up by a collaboration between the public and private health, as well as the mining sectors.

“The department will continue to enhance the capacity of hospitals to ensure that services can be rendered should the need arise. We are currently now planning a field hospital for additional beds,” said Lekgethwane.

The province is also obtaining the required equipment such oxygen points and more ventilators. The availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has been stabilised and measures are in place for continual procurement.

The forensic services and mortuary services capacity has received attention as well.

“To this effect, today [Thursday] the Deputy Minister is officially opening a forensic pathology mortuary at Brits Hospital in Madibeng. This is part of the province’s infrastructure preparedness,” Lekgethwane said.

The new forensic pathology mortuary has a body storage capacity of 11 and 40 shelves for decomposed bodies.

“The hospitals have an arrangement with private mortuaries for additional capacity. There is also a provincial standard operating procedure that directs the management of human remains of COVID-19,” said Lekgethwane.

The department is also ensuring that frontline workers have PPEs, psychosocial support and vaccination.

“The department has rolled out an extensive training program in the prevention and management of COVID-19 for its employees, as well as the private sector. This continued under level 4, as more information on the disease becomes available and the pandemic evolves,” the spokesperson explained.

The North West currently has quarantine facilities and 397 active beds in Bojanala, 126 in Dr Kenneth Kaunda, 137 in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati and 81 in Ngaka Modiri Molema.

“We also have adequate quarantine facility beds in the mines, both in Bojanala and Dr Kenneth Kaunda,” said Lekgethwane.

He said the province is prepared for level 3 lockdown.

“Hotspots have been identified across the province and plans for intervention will be implemented.”