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South Africa has 7 808 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday, 6 May 2020.

Regrettably, there are five more COVID-19 related deaths with two from Western Cape, one from Limpopo and two from KwaZulu-Natal.

This brings the total national deaths to 153.

“We wish to express our condolences to the loved ones of the deceased and thank the health care workers who treated these patients,” said Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize.

The provincial breakdown of the confirmed cases is as follows:

Province                    COVID-19 Confirmed Cases

Eastern Cape              849

Free State                   130

Gauteng                      1 720

KwaZulu-Natal            1 189

Limpopo                      40

Mpumalanga               57

North West                  37

Northern Cape            26

Western Cape             3 760

Unknown                     0

Total                            7 808

As of Wednesday, South Africa reported 3 153 recoveries.

The provincial breakdown is as follows:

Province                      Deaths            Recoveries

Eastern Cape                18                    388

Free State                     6                      102

Gauteng                       15                    1 036

KwaZulu-Natal            38                    420

Limpopo                       3                      27

Mpumalanga               0                      22

North West                  0                      20

Northern Cape            0                      16

Western Cape             73                    1 122

Total                            153                   3 153

Testing Data

In relation to testing, a total of 279 379 tests have been conducted to date with 11 315 tests done in the past 24 hours.

As COVID-19 continues to put business under immense pressure, putting jobs on the line, the Public Service Commission (PSC) has encouraged departments to engage suppliers to resolve outstanding payments and speedily process Small Medium Micro Enterprises’ (SMME) invoices.

This in a bid to minimise the negative impact of the lockdown on business and jobs.

“Business is under enormous duress now, with most facing a bleak future due to the nationwide lockdown. Departments are urged to put measures in place to ensure that all suppliers, in particular, small businesses are paid for services rendered and goods delivered,” the PSC statement read.

The PSC’s role is to empower, investigate, monitor, and evaluate the organisation and administration of the Public Service.

According to the statement released on Thursday, the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) still applies and all efforts must be made to ensure that suppliers can also continue to operate and pay their staff and suppliers beyond the lockdown.

“We wish to reiterate President Cyril Ramaphosa’s call for government to ensure that suppliers are paid within 30 days,” PSC’s spokesperson, Humphrey Ramafoko said.

He said non-compliance with the PFMA must be viewed as transgression and must be treated as such.

“Failure to pay suppliers on time has dire consequences for the sustainability of SMME’s, impacts negatively on the government’s job creation initiatives particularly during this period when government is trying to prevent massive job losses and compromises government’s performance and service delivery.”

He also said that strategies must in place to deal with the 30-day requirement for payment of suppliers, the payment of contract workers as well as processing documents with speed for those exiting the system.

“Furthermore, the PSC encourages departments to put in place supportive measures for public servants that retired during the lockdown period,” he added.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has called on interprovincial travelers to exercise extreme caution on the roads, as the grace period for transit across provincial boundaries draws to a close.

The once off movement, of persons who were not at their places of residence or work, when the lockdown commenced, will end at 23:59 tonight.

“Law enforcement officials will be out and about, ensuring road safety and compliance to lockdown rules and regulations. We urge road users to travel with care, sanitise their vehicles, wear face masks, do not exceed the required carrying capacity and drive safely. Road safety remains paramount, even in times of COVID-19,” said Mbalula on Thursday.

From 1 May -7 May 2020, those who found themselves in provinces outside their places of work when the lockdown commenced were given a window of opportunity to return to those provinces,  so as to gradually resume economic activities.

A direction was issued to allow long distance buses, taxis and private vehicles to travel outside the 8pm curfew. That allowance comes to an end just before midnight.

Minister Mbalula urged motorists not to leave their transit to the last minute, refrain from speeding and adhere to the lockdown regulations and the directions thereof.

Statistician General, Risenga Maluleke, has announced that Statistics South Africa will conduct data collection for key labour statistics using telephone interviews.

Maluleke said the statistical body will use telephonic interviews instead of having fieldworkers visiting sampled dwelling units (households).

Stats SA is changing its collection method for the second quarter of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) due to restrictions on face-to-face collections imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Continuous measuring of the economy is an important and necessary undertaking. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Statistics South Africa will continue providing the salient labour statistics for policy and evidence based decision making,” Maluleke said.

Telephonic data collection for quarter two will commence on Monday 11 May 2020.

Collection of data will be conducted using the Computer Assisted Telephonic Interview (CATI) methodology.

The QLFS questionnaire has been slightly modified for telephonic interviewing and a few questions on COVID-19 have been added.

Unlike the online COVID-19 surveys conducted by Stats SA, which used convenience sampling and were therefore not representative of the South African population, the estimates from this survey will be representative of the experience of all South Africans.

“The lockdown and progression of the pandemic resulted in the discontinuation of face-to-face data collection. We are appealing for cooperation and participation from all households sampled for the survey as the data will provide much-needed information on how COVID-19 has impacted employment in South Africa,” he said.

Contact numbers for dwelling units in the sample were sourced from the QLFS data from previous quarters.

There is a need to change the survey methodology slightly, so there will be no rotation of dwelling units out of the sample until the situation with the pandemic improves.

“Some of the respondents were supposed to be in the sample for the last time in the previous quarter, we now plead with them to stay in the sample for a few more quarters to ensure that there is continuity in the production of the labour statistics that the country needs, especially during the crisis period, to assess its impact on the estimates.”

Stats SA official will not ask respondents for identity numbers and banking details.

South Africans can verify the details of Stats SA officials by using the fieldworker verification link on the Stats SA website (www.statssa.gov.za) or by calling the call centre on 0800 110 248.

Employers have been urged to ensure that money paid over by the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) for the COVID-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) is disbursed to the workers.

Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi made the call to employers following numerous complaints received from workers who allege that their employers have not paid them the money the UIF has disbursed as part of COVID-19 TERS.

The money is meant to provide temporary relief for workers who are at home or to at least meet some of their salary demands.

“To date we have paid close to R9 billion in COVID-19 relief. This is the amount that we are paying for relief for workers and we appeal to the employers to ensure that it is paid to the workers without any further delay,” said the Minister.

To ensure that there was no delay in payments to workers, the UIF provided employers with the breakdown of how much each worker deserves. This was after there were complaints that the lump sums were confusing employers.

“We took a decision to break down the payments, a decision that saw our systems almost overwhelmed with information as we did not want workers’ funds to be delayed even further. We once again appeal to employers with outstanding information regarding claims to ensure that they forward these as soon as possible.

“A total of 576 639 workers have been disadvantaged to the tune of close to R2.4 billion. There are also 17 473 workers who are also disadvantaged because of failed bank verification and an amount of R80 124 837.42 will be paid over as soon as this is resolved,” said Nxesi.

To date the fund has paid R8 836 010 295.56 to 114 661 employers for 1 525 308 workers and R152 031 601.04 has been paid through 845 bargaining councils affecting 56 456 workers. A total of R1 295 078 468.38 has been paid in ordinary benefits.

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe, has warned that government will shut down any mining operation found not complying with Level 4 regulations.

“At the heart of our programmes is the protection of people’s lives and livelihoods. When we agreed that mines should operate at reduced capacity, we highlighted the importance of protecting and saving the economic infrastructure beyond the lockdown period.

“It is in the interest of mining operations to comply with the lockdown regulations. We are not going to put people at risk for production,” Mantashe said on Wednesday.

He was speaking at Sibanye-Stillwater’s Bathopele Platinum Mine in Rustenburg, where he monitored compliance with the lockdown Level 4 regulations.

The visit to Rustenburg follows a number of unannounced visits to mining operations to monitor compliance with lockdown regulations.

Sibanye-Stillwater and Old Mutual donated an amount of R1 million for personal protective equipment (PPE).

The donation from Sibanye-Stillwater is part of the mining sector’s support in containing the spread of COVID-19.

Mantashe emphasised that mineworkers must be tested for COVID-19, warning that failure to do this will put the lives of miners at risk.

“The economy will never be the same again. Mining in South Africa will never be the same again. The current lockdown regulations will be applicable far beyond the lockdown period,” the Minister said.

He also called for the implementation of a rigorous screening and testing programme as employees return to work.

A total of 511 healthcare workers in the country have tested positive for the Coronavirus (COVID-19), says Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize.

Addressing the media in Rustenburg on Wednesday at Job Shimankana Tabane Hospital, the Minister said of those who have tested positive for COVID-19, 149 have recovered, 26 were hospitalised and two have lost their lives.

Mkhize, together with the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, received personal protective equipment (PPE) from Sibanye-Stillwater and Old Mutual.

The donation from Sibanye-Stillwater is part of the mining sector’s support in containing the spread of COVID-19.

“All mine workers must be screened. It is more helpful to be proactive. We can save staff and the whole mine if we screen miners. We encourage all mining companies to work with the provincial government on this,” Mkhize said.

The Minister noted the increase in the number of people testing positive for the virus.

“We have seen the numbers increasing. We said that many of us will get the infection. Our role has been to slow down the rate at which the infection gets to us.

“In terms of our scientific focus, we were able to push the peak. If we were to prolong the lockdown, it would not have delayed the peak substantially. We can now spot where the problems are coming from. We have learned lessons from other countries and we have an advantage,” the Minister said.

As of Tuesday, 5 May, South Africa had a total of 7 572 COVID-19 cases and 148 deaths.

Public and staff access to the Union Buildings has been limited following the confirmation of a positive case of COVID-19 on one of the staff members.

The Presidency said that in line with government’s guidelines on the management of COVID-19 cases, steps have been taken to secure treatment for the relevant staff member and to provide support to the member’s family.

“Steps have also been taken to ensure that officials, who have contact with the staff member, are screened,” the Presidency said in a statement.

The Presidency’s Pandemic Task Team, established to assist in managing all COVID-19 related matters, proactively initiated a process of disinfection and deep cleaning of all Presidency facilities.

This process commenced on Tuesday, 28 April 2020.

“Access to the Union Buildings is therefore limited to exceptional interactions. The President and Deputy President have been working remotely and not from the Union Buildings since the start of lockdown,” the Presidency said.

The Presidency has wished the affected colleague a speedy recovery.

Seven out of 10 COVID-19 related deaths reported on Tuesday are from the Western Cape, the epicentre of the Coronavirus in South Africa with 3 609 cases.

Meanwhile, Gauteng, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal have one reported death each.

According to the Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, this brings the total deaths nationally to 148 while the number of cases has climbed to 7 572.

“We wish to express our condolences to the families of the deceased and thank the health care workers who treated these patients,” Mkhize said.

The provincial breakdown of positive COVID-19 cases are as follows: Eastern Cape 838, Free State 128, Gauteng 1 697, KwaZulu-Natal 1 142, Limpopo 40, Mpumalanga 57, North West 35, Northern Cape 26, Western Cape 3 609, Unknown 0.

Mkhize said a total of 268 064 tests have been conducted to date with 10 523 tests done between Monday and Tuesday.

While the whole globe is battling the spike of Coronavirus, nations were observing the World Hand Hygiene Day in a year that has particularly shone the spotlight on hand hygiene, the Minister said.

“As we know, one of the ways Coronavirus is transferred is by hands which have come into contact with contaminated surfaces, objects or areas of the body,” he explained.

He echoed the President Cyril Ramaphosa’s sentiments who believes that the COVID-19 outbreak is giving everyone an opportunity, as humanity, to review our way of life and take forward all the important lessons we are learning into a new future.

“Washing hands saves lives. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly and regularly, for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water or hand sanitizer,” he added.

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe, has warned that government will shut down any mining operation found not complying with Level 4 regulations.

“At the heart of our programmes is the protection of people’s lives and livelihoods. When we agreed that mines should operate at reduced capacity, we highlighted the importance of protecting and saving the economic infrastructure beyond the lockdown period.

“It is in the interest of mining operations to comply with the lockdown regulations. We are not going to put people at risk for production,” Mantashe said on Wednesday.

He was speaking at Sibanye-Stillwater’s Bathopele Platinum Mine in Rustenburg, where he monitored compliance with the lockdown Level 4 regulations.

The visit to Rustenburg follows a number of unannounced visits to mining operations to monitor compliance with lockdown regulations.

Sibanye-Stillwater and Old Mutual donated an amount of R1 million for personal protective equipment (PPE).

The donation from Sibanye-Stillwater is part of the mining sector’s support in containing the spread of COVID-19.

Mantashe emphasised that mineworkers must be tested for COVID-19, warning that failure to do this will put the lives of miners at risk.

“The economy will never be the same again. Mining in South Africa will never be the same again. The current lockdown regulations will be applicable far beyond the lockdown period,” the Minister said.

He also called for the implementation of a rigorous screening and testing programme as employees return to work.