Archives

More than 3.5 million people have applied for the new special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant – within three days of the system going live.

“The special COVID-19 SRD Grant is intended to mitigate the undue hardships faced by individuals and families through this difficult time. We are pleased with the intake so far and we urge all eligible individuals to apply on time,” Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu said on Thursday.

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) started taking nationwide applications for the grant on Monday.

“As of Friday, 3 585 040 applications were received. Of this, the largest number of 2 394 949 applications were made using the USSD (SMS) line, 204 434 on the website, 485 657 on WhatsApp and 500 00 were on email,” said the Department of Social Development (DSD).

Applications are currently being assessed and verified.

Those eligible will be notified and will start to receive their first payment of the six-month Special Covid19 SRD Grant of R350 by Friday – 15 May.

“The grant is implemented in terms of the existing avenue provided for by the SRD channel, which is administered in accordance with the provisions as set in the Social Assistance Act, 2004. The Department wishes to stress that the first payment file was meant for testing. When the payment system is finalised, more regular payments will be made,” said the DSD.

Once an application has been approved, the SASSA will ask for banking details.

Those who have not been asked for banking details must know that they are not going to be paid.

The department has appealed to people to wait to be contacted and not visit SASSA offices.

“Once again, we appeal to those already receiving social grants not to apply as they are not eligible for the Special Covid-19 SRD Grant. It is only meant to benefit persons who are currently not receiving any form of income support from government,” the Minister said.

People can apply in one of three ways, namely:

• WhatsApp line: 082 046 8553

• USSD or SMS line: *134*7737#

• Online: srd@sassa.gov.za

An applicant must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee who is registered on the Home Affairs system and is a resident within the borders of the Republic of South Africa.

“To ensure that the information system is not clogged, we appeal to all applicants not to upload any form of documentation on the application,” Zulu said.

The department will continuously share information on developments across all platforms.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has given the Eastern Cape’s preparations to deal with the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic the thumbs up.

LIVE COVID-19 STATS FOR SA: [COVID19-LINE country=”South Africa” confirmed_title=”confirmed” deaths_title=”deaths” recovered_title=”recovered”]

“I’m particularly happy that you have awoken to the danger of this and are now putting in place a clear health strategy that is going to address this,” said the President.

The President paid a visit to Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape on Thursday to assess the provincial response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Eastern Cape has 1534 confirmed COVID-19 cases and accounts for 13.3 % of infections nationally.

The oversight visit comes as government prepares to ease the lockdown and reopen the economy.

With consultations on easing the lockdown further to level 3 set to get underway on Friday, the President indicated the country could move to level 3 of the lockdown even before the end of May.

The visit forms part of a series of oversight visits by the President to Gauteng and Kwa-Zulu Natal to evaluate the fight against COVID-19.

The President’s comments come following his address to the nation on Wednesday where he said government is considering a proposal to move to level 3 by the end of May.

Outlining the province’s response to COVID-19, Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane highlighted measures such as the provision of beds in hospitals, boosting its human resource capacity, procurement of water to drought stricken communities and preparations for the return of children to classrooms.

Mabuyane highlighted that the province plans to incrementally avail more beds to the western region in order to respond to the epicentre’s demands for beds.

“An investment of R50.5 million is targeted to improve 29 health facilities. A further R3 million is being invested into the hospitality sector in order to support the programme of quarantining. An additional 100 beds at an estimated cost R251 millionwill be provided, “ he said.

In April, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize paid a visit to the Easter Cape where he expressed concern about the surge in COVID-19 cases as well as the province’s readiness to address the pandemic.

“The infections took a bit longer to come here and the province was not ready at all. Listening to their plan today, there were four things that I was concerned about. The first is the strategy. I am happy with it.

“The strategy is focused and directed. With the approach you are taking, you are on the right track,” said Mkhize.

To date, the province has recorded 1534 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 24 deaths and 632 recoveries.

The Minister also commended the province for its strides in procuring personal protective equipment, boosting its human resources and availing infrastructure.

Echoing the Minister, President Ramaphosa commended the province for its use of the District Development Model in mapping out its plan to address the scourge of the virus in the province.

Additionally, the President expressed appreciation for the province’s forward thinking in its approach to dealing with COVID-19.

“Beyond COVID-19, the economy of our country is almost going to be like a wasteland, and we therefore need to revitalise it and rejuvenate it.

“I’m delighted that already you are looking at opportunities; not only to revitalise but to transform and enhance the recovery of the economy.”

Putting in place the building blocks for NHI

The President also called on the province to use the pandemic as a building block for the National Health Insurance (NHI).

“I think we should use COVID-19 as a building block of the NHI [National Health Insurance]. As you identify places where you have got to put down field hospitals, make sure that you are also looking into the future because field hospitals will be there for that moment then they will be demolished.

“I am saying do put the building blocks in place for structures that can be used beyond COVID-19,” said the President.

Following the presentation of the province’s plan, the President went on a walkabout of Livingstone hospital which is designated to treat COVID-19.

Fruitful engagement

The President wrapped up his Eastern Cape trip with a visit to the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, which is earmarked as a facility for quarantine or isolation of COVID-19 patients.

Following visits to the hospital as well as the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, the President said the visit had been a fruitful one.

“I’ve been really pleased to be here. It has been a very fruitful day of good engagement, where the province has been able to give us a full explanation of a number of things that they’re working on in relation to COVID-19. We were concerned and are still concerned about the rising number of infections in the Eastern Cape.”

“They have been able to lay out their strategies of dealing with the virus  and take aggressive action in relation to seeing how best we can reduce the higher number of infections,” said the President.

The President said the province has addressed human resources issues by bringing in a number of health and community workers who will screen people. The province has also set up field hospitals in a number of areas, among others.

Proudly South African has extended the product offering on its portal to include locally produced hand sanitisers, surface disinfectants and detergents.

“As South Africans gradually return to the workplace, the need for a reliable and local source of products which comply with proper health and safety standards is expected to spike and to last throughout the entire lockdown period, up to and beyond Stage 1,” Proudly SA said on Thursday.

The fabric masks portal has established a successful online listing of accredited mask producers where buyers can source masks that meet their specific requirements.

The portal was set up with the assistance of the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU), the National Bargaining Council for Clothing Manufacturers and The Manufacturing Circle.

“In the same way, the extended pages will list only local manufacturers of sanitisers, disinfectants and detergents that are proven to have been tested and which adhere to industry standards and labelling legislation.

“Production capacities and contact details are supplied and corporate and individual buyers can make direct contact with the listed companies,” it said.

These products can be found on www.proudlysa.co.za.

Meanwhile, local manufacturers of sanitisers, detergents and disinfectants are encouraged to register their businesses via: .

Last month, Proudly South African announced a dedicated marketplace portal to help South Africans source locally-made fabric face masks and to enable the country’s clothing and textile sector to retain jobs.

The Basic Education Department (DBE) has postponed a briefing that was set to outline the phased approach to the reopening of schools amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

LIVE COVID-19 STATS FOR SA: [COVID19-LINE country=”South Africa” confirmed_title=”confirmed” deaths_title=”deaths” recovered_title=”recovered”]

The briefing, which was expected to outline proposed dates for the reopening of schools, was scheduled to take place today, 14 May 2020.

The briefing, has been moved to Monday, said the department in a statement.

According to the DBE, the postponement is, to allow for further consultation with stakeholders in the education sector.

This comes as President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday announced that government is considering a proposal to move the country to level 3 of the national COVID-19 lockdown by the end of May.

The department said the President’s address will assist with its planning.

“The Minister will address a media briefing after receiving full reports from all provinces on the readiness to open schools. We appeal for patience as we work to find the best way forward under the circumstances,” said the department’s Director-General Mathanzima Mweli.

Mweli said the department will convene a special meeting of the heads of education departments from all provinces. Minister Angie Motshekga will  meet with MECs on Monday to discuss progress made.

“Thereafter we will [make an] announcement to the public. Nobody has experience in managing a crisis of this magnitude, so we follow expert advice. That is why we need to be extremely careful how we proceed in every step,” he said.

Ahead of Monday’s address, Motshekga will also convene a special meeting of the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) to consider progress made towards the reopening of schools.

The purpose of the meeting will be to consider the work done by provinces this week, including taking delivery of COVID-19 essentials required as preconditions for the reopening of schools.

Provincial readiness

In a meeting held on Monday, provinces reported that they were at various stages of readiness and they requested more time as they waited for deliveries of personal protection equipment from the supplier.

“We agreed in our meeting on Monday that one week is needed to finalise outstanding [deliveries]. So on Monday, 18 May, we will reconvene to consider progress made and then report to the public on the state of readiness.”

“A lot of work has happened and we are happy with the progress reported in the last meeting but we need confirmation of deliveries that provinces were waiting for,” said the Minister.

She said the delays in the deliverables were attributed to challenges with the supplier of personal protective equipment (PPEs) which resulted in the cancellation of contracts.

Various provinces had to find new suppliers to deliver the material this week.

“In the meeting on Monday, we will receive a full report which we can then share with the public. We will also use the meeting to table President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address which is also important for our planning purposes,” she said.

The reopening of schools, said the department, is based on three factors:

• Saving lives remain the overriding consideration.
• Saving the academic year is crucial.
• Risk assessment and mitigation as well as monitoring and evaluation are important safeguards of the plan.

The Minister’s scheduled address on Monday will follow the meeting of the Council of Education Ministers.

The North West Department of Health has suspended four senior officials over allegations of tender irregularities.

LIVE COVID-19 STATS FOR SA: [COVID19-LINE country=”South Africa” confirmed_title=”confirmed” deaths_title=”deaths” recovered_title=”recovered”]

Health MEC Madoda Sambatha said two of the officials are directors attached to the Infrastructure Development Technical Support chief directorate, including one director responsible for Infrastructure Planning and another responsible for Infrastructure Delivery.

The directors were suspended on 23 April 2020, due to allegations of irregular payments of departmental funds to service providers arising from a bid for additions and alterations to existing Mmabatho Nursing College, including all related site works.

The principal building agreement for construction works at Mmabatho Nursing College commenced on the 02 November 2015.

It is alleged that the officials within the Infrastructure Development and Technical Support chief directorate facilitated irregular insertion of the “contract price adjustment Provision”, which resulted in the contractor receiving undue enrichment in payments.

“The value estimated on this one amounts to R10 959 472 35, excluding VAT of adjustment/ escalation. This followed a preliminary investigation,” said the MEC at a media briefing on Wednesday.

The other two senior officials, including the department’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and a director responsible for Supply Chain Management (SCM) were also suspended on 8 May 2020, due to allegations of irregularities at SCM arising from a security tender.

“The appointment letter of the successful bidders allegedly contained the prices which materially varied from what those bidders had bid for thus inflating prices and causing the department serious financial loss. The value of the financial loss is not yet know, as investigations are to start after their suspension,” Sambatha said.

The suspensions are intended to allow the department to investigate the allegations, which are of a serious nature.

 12 employees confirmed COVID-19 positive

Sambatha also gave an update on recent developments pertaining to COVID-19 in the province.

The MEC announced that a number of employees tested positive for COVID-19, including six employees from the public service and six from private facilities.

“The first were two health professionals in Dr Kenneth Kaunda District in private facilities. One is a 26 year-old male and the other is a 51 year-old male.  The two were managed appropriately according to the guidelines including management of primary contacts.  It is great to announce these two ultimately recovered,” said the MEC.

A 53-year-old male private clinician in Ngaka Modiri Molema District also tested positive. The clinician subsequently received treatment, and has recovered.

During level 4 of the lockdown, two health professionals from Promosa in Dr Kenneth Kaunda district were amongst the health professionals who tested positive.

The two are in isolation facilities and their contacts are being managed appropriately.

In the Ngaka Modiri Molema district, one doctor at the Mahikeng Provincial Hospital, has also tested positive for COVID-19.

“The doctor is a 47 year-old male clinician. Line listing of contacts is in progress and management will be done in line with COVID-19 NICD guidelines, Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA)  guidelines, occupational health and safety guidelines.”

“The doctor in question and other employees in contact used appropriate personal protective equipment (PPEs). Continuous decontamination of the affected units, is done as per guidelines. It is for these reasons that the unit will not be closed as the risk level is low for contamination following adherence to safety measures,” Sambatha said.

SAPS officers test positive

Furthermore, two police officers from Madibeng and Matlosana have tested positive for COVID-19.

Sambatha said the Madibeng patient who is in a stable condition, has been isolated, pending transfer to a clinic.

The contact listing of the police officer in Matlosana, has been completed. The officer is currently isolated in a private facility.

The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities is continuing to advocate for the sector to have access to economic opportunities during the nationwide lockdown.

“We have been working closely with the legal work streams looking at the regulations in relation to women, persons with disability and youth. We have had to work closely with the work streams of the economic sector,” Deputy Minister in the Presidency: Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize said.

The Deputy Minister was on Wednesday in conversation with Civil Society on the various interventions meant to support women, young people and persons with disabilities during the national lockdown.

“We have to ensure that the sector is not forgotten, when you think of keeping small business afloat, spaza shops. All those things that have changed during this period is because we are advocating for those sectors,” she said.

The Deputy Minister noted the increase in the reporting of cases on gender-based violence (GBV) during the lockdown.

“Women are facing extreme forms of GBV because women are locked in with their perpetrators, with limited opportunities of moving around,” she said.

Government has since developed an emergency pathway for survivors to ensure that GBV victims are assisted.

Addressing the nation on Wednesday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa said gender-based violence continues to stalk the country.

“One of the interventions we have made is to ensure lockdown regulations be structured in a manner that a woman can leave her home to report abuse without the fear of a fine, intimidation or further violence,” said President Ramaphosa.

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel has gazetted directions on the sale of winter clothing, footwear and bedding in Level 4 of the national COVID-19 lockdown.

The directions clarify the related winter clothing, footwear and home textiles which may be sold during Alert Level 4 in terms of the regulations published by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) on 29 April.

“The publication of these directions results from Minister Patel’s consultative meeting with industry leaders in the Clothing, Textile, Footwear and Leather sector held last Tuesday, 5 May 2020,” said the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (DTIC) on Tuesday.

Industry stakeholders had requested that Patel gazettes a list of clothing and related products that could be made available for sale in retail stores.

A task team of industry representatives and the department worked together to construct a list of essential winter clothing, footwear and home textiles that would be permissible for sale in retail stores across the country during Level 4 of the lockdown.

The list of winter clothing, footwear and home textiles includes:

• all baby and toddler clothing and footwear;
• children’s wear, including school wear and school shoes;
• maternity wear; adult sleepwear and gowns;
• adult underwear;
• a range of adult footwear categories, including boots, slippers, sneakers and trainers;
• adult outerwear categories, including active wear, knitwear, jackets and coats;
• adult accessories; and bedding categories, including baby bedding and blankets, duvets, blankets, and electric blankets.

The Minister expressed his appreciation for the positive tone of the engagement with industry stakeholders.

“Restarting more parts of our economy is important and we are working hard to ensure that industry follow best practice to protect health and safety of all our citizens. The discussions with industry builds on the greater cooperation that arose from the Industry Masterplan for the retail-clothing, textile and footwear industry,” said Patel.

The Minister also called on consumers to purchase locally made products.

“I call on consumers to look for South African-made products, made proudly by local workers, so that we can rebuild the economy. The manufacturing and retail sector has been through a very difficult time and the resumption of clothing sales under Level 4 of the new risk-adjusted approach, will assist to provide greater levels of production and commerce in the sector,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of The Foschini Group (TFG), and chair of the National Clothing Retail Federation (NCRF), Anthony Thunstrom welcomed the new directions.

“The federation has participated in a robust engagement with government and stakeholders to construct the list of essential consumer items for winter clothing and textile items. The leadership of Minister Patel has been appreciated throughout the consultations,” said Thunstrom.

This as the NCRF called on the clothing retail sector to offer retail environments that adhere to strict health protocols to help mitigate the transmission risks of COVID-19.

Customers have also been encouraged to limit their trips to retail stores, and to always wear protective facemasks and maintain social distancing of at least 1.5 metres when around other people.

Gauteng Premier David Makhura on Wednesday expressed satisfaction with the level of adherence of lockdown regulations at one of the many malls in Pretoria.

Accompanied by his executive, the Premier visited Soshanguve Crossing mall, on Wednesday, where he assessed the level of compliance with Level 4 lockdown regulations.

“We chose to come to Soshanguve guided by the level of infections. We want to communicate to the people of Soshanguve that COVID-19 is here, is not something for some people, is not something for some places, it is here,” said Makhura, following a walkabout of the mall.

The Premier, who visited several shops in the mall located north of Pretoria, also interacted with some shoppers.

“We came here and found that they have put in place something that we think should be a model for all the malls in Gauteng. As you enter the mall, the security ensures that everyone who enters the mall have their facemasks on and even in the shops, people can’t get into the shops without the mask, while also ensuring that people entering the mall have their hands sanitized,” said Makhura.

Workers at stores, visited by the Premier were also adhering to the need to wear facemasks.

“We are satisfied with the level of adherence to the lockdown regulations and we are also satisfied that all the shops open here are selling all the goods that are supposed to be sold in level 4 lockdown.”

The Premier also expressed satisfaction that prices of goods had not been escalated as has been reported in other areas.

“We are also satisfied with the prices as there were complaints with price escalations. We have also checked the food. There is no rotten or expired food that is being sold here,” said Makhura, adding that there are areas of improvement which they have discussed with the mall management.

“We are doing these things to save lives and not to punish businesses.”

The unannounced visit to the mall was prompted by allegations of non-compliance with the lockdown regulations.

In addition, the provincial government will also visit places that have the high number of COVID-19 infections.

“We have to make sure that we take steps to protect our people.COVID-19 is not about to go, we are in this for a very long time, we can win if we work together.”

Following the visit to Soshanguve, the Premier and his delegation proceeded to Ivory Park Mall  to assess adherence to regulations.

In an effort to alleviate the impact of the COVID-19 national lockdown on indigent households, Eskom has launched a campaign aimed at raising awareness of the Free Basic Electricity (FBE) programme.

The programme is targeted at giving limited free electricity to indigent households.

Qualifying households, in terms of the government’s policy of providing support to the unemployed, low-earning, the destitute and the elderly, are encouraged to approach their municipalities to register as indigents in order to collect their allocated free basic electricity every month.

“Customers on municipalities’ indigent household registers have the right to collect a minimum 50 kiloWatt hours (kWh) of electricity for free every month, which can also be higher, depending on the municipality.

“Unfortunately a large number of indigent households don’t exercise their right, either because they are unaware of the free basic electricity, or because they have not registered with the municipality,” said the utility’s Group Executive for Distribution Monde Bala on Tuesday.

Once registered with the municipality, the customer’s details are loaded on the Eskom system where they get credited with free electricity tokens.

As at end March 2020, Eskom had 900 000 registered indigent customers for free basic electricity, but only 700 000 people are collecting their FBE tokens.

Eskom is working with municipalities to ensure that indigent households receive their free electricity.

“The partnership with municipalities will go a long way to help cushion the indigent households from the full impact of COVID-19 lockdown,” Bala said.

Customers who qualify for FBE but who are not currently collecting it, must approach their municipality and register to receive their free allocation.

Electricity supply restrictions

Meanwhile, Eskom announced that it will implement measures to restrict electricity supply in Gauteng in order to reduce the extremely high costs associated with repeated equipment failure resulting from overloading.

The implementation of this initiative, will be effected on a rotational basis in order to curb rising costs.

Eskom has identified areas in Gauteng with significantly high non-technical losses mainly in residential areas.

“It is prudent for us to take deliberate measures to significantly reduce the extremely high costs associated with repeated equipment failure resulting from overloading, which costs more as the power is indiscriminately used during peak periods,” Eskom Maintenance and Operations in the Gauteng Operating Unit Motlhabane Ramashi said on Tuesday.

The power utility continues to record a substantially high trend of energy demand during peak periods in the mornings and evenings between 5am and 9am, and again between 5pm and 8pm respectively.

Eskom said its immediate response, is to safeguard its assets from repeated failure and explosions as a result of overloading caused by illegal connections, meter bypasses and tampering with electricity infrastructure that are on an increase.

“This unprecedented measure is necessary to contain the situation. We deem the constant repairs and replacement of equipment that fails before we can realise their investment as unwarranted, and this will not sustain our operations should we continue in this trajectory.”

This is line with Eskom’s priorities of containing operational costs and improve plant performance,” Ramashi said.

Eskom will continuously monitor the developments to determine any improvements.

The power utility will keep conducting audits, remove illegal connections and act against meter tampering, as well as impose penalties for any transgression among others.