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Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Deputy Minister, Hlengiwe Mkhize, has today handed over food parcels, sanitary pads and masks to disability organisations.

This is to help mitigate the compounded risks that people with disabilities continue to experience during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The donations were made to the Blind SA Association and the Deaf Federation of South Africa.

The Ministry said people with disabilities should be supported though extraordinary measures to ensure their safety.

“No one should be left behind. With the President having declared a state of disaster, we have ensured that we elevate the voices of people with disabilities, and have developed directions for regulations protecting their human rights during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mkhize.

The Ministry said social partners have come on board to support the department’s drive to assist families of people with disabilities. The drive has been ongoing since the beginning of the lockdown, with several shelters and residential care facilities already having received food parcels and sanitary towels.

On 21 April, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced an increase in a number of grants, which included that of people with disabilities, as a new way to distribute food aid, and as part of government’s plan to boost the economy and relieve social distress caused by the lockdown. The grant increment — applicable for six months — was rolled out in May.

Mkhize has reiterated that the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities will continue with its advocacy work to ensure people with disabilities are aware of government’s programmes, and that they access the available resources.

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 Shimakana 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.

The Department of Basic Education has welcomed a judgment by the Limpopo High Court dismissing an application seeking to halt the department’s proposed re-opening of schools on 1 June.

The application by the Tebeila Institute of Leadership, Governance and Training, said the Department in a statement, sought to stop the department from implementing the recovery plan for schools in the context of COVID-19.

Judge Gerrit Muller dismissed the case on Tuesday, saying the Limpopo High Court had no jurisdiction over the matter. Instead, Muller said the matter should be heard in the Gauteng Division of the Court in Pretoria, where the offices of the Minister and the department are located.

In its statement, the department said Judge Muller ordered parties to cover their own costs.

On the substance of the matter, the department had argued that the contemplated re-opening of schools had been developed together with provinces, other government departments, all stakeholders and civil society through a consultative process over a number of weeks.

“The announcement of the Minister proposed tentative dates only. A final date for schools to re-open will be informed by the readiness of schools to re-open,” read the statement.

In his answering affidavit, DBE Director-General, Mathanzima Mweli, said Minister Angie Motshekga did not come up with the draft Recovery Plan overnight, but it was being developed with rational, considered and responsible input from stakeholders, as well as interested and affected parties.

“The decision to re-open schools will only be finally determined after the National Coronavirus Command Centre has approved the school recovery plans and is satisfied with the risk assessment completed.

“Furthermore, the Department of Health’s approval to re-open schools will also be required,” said department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga.

He said the department will now proceed with its plans, as outlined by the Minister last week https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/government-proposes-gradually-reo…

With winter fast approaching and confirmed COVID-19 cases now at 7 220, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has urged South Africans to continue to stay home to ease the burden on the country’s healthcare system.

“Stay home if you do not have to venture out,” said the Minister on Monday.

Seven more fatalities have been recorded, bringing the total number to 138. Of the seven deaths, six were recorded in the Western Cape, while the other was in KwaZulu-Natal.

In a statement issued on Monday, Mkhize said to date, the country has conducted 257 541 tests, with 11 794 of these done in the past 24 hours.

Said the Minister: “As the winter season sets in, society will be confronted with the additional burden of influenza and other pneumonias, bronchiolitis in children, exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive airways disease and winter related trauma, like burn injuries.

“I therefore urge every South African to continue to play their part in easing the load on the health care system. Stay home if you do not have to venture out, wear a mask at all times in public places, wash your hands regularly and disinfect surfaces you normally come into contact with,” Mkhize said.

As at 2 May, said the Minister, 411 COVID-19 patients were hospitalised.

“This translates to approximately 5% of all COVID-19 confirmed patients and this is consistent with the hospitalisation rates that were seen in China. Our mortality rate has remained stable at around 1.9%, since the first death was reported,” he said.

He said this is below the world average, which is 3.4%, as estimated by the World Health Organisation.

“As a reminder to all South Africans, the principle of flattening the curve is to limit the spread of infection such that the numbers do not rise to the extent that they overwhelm the health care system,” he said.

He also urged employers, whose businesses have opened, to take all the necessary measures to protect their employees. I salute our health professionals – our doctors, nurses, care workers, community workers, allied health professionals, medical technicians, pharmacists, porters, cleaners, laboratory technicians and all our foot soldiers in the front line of health care, who continue to serve under these trying times.

Cases per province

Eastern Cape – 814

Free State – 125

Gauteng – 1661

KwaZulu-Natal – 1 106

Limpopo – 39

Mpumalanga – 53

North West – 35

Northern Cape – 25

Western Cape – 3 362

By Eustace Mashimbye, CEO of Proudly South African

It comes as no surprise that at a time when the country finds itself at its most vulnerable, there will be companies and individuals that will take the opportunity to profiteer for their own gain and take advantage of the current state of national disaster, finding ways of exploiting consumers by selling COVID19 related items and passing them off as locally made and/or safe to use against the spread of the pandemic.

These items include sanitisers and masks, which are currently in high demand as people seek to protect themselves, their families and employees against the virus. Misleading claims around the provenance and efficacy of masks and sanitisers play into the fears of South Africans, as they go in search, often online, for these items. If the masks and sanitisers they purchase do not meet minimum required standards, they are rendered entirely useless in our fight to flatten the curve and the spread of the coronavirus and pose a significant health risk to users and others with whom they come into contact.

Seeing the inherent danger posed by these fake items that are flooding our markets and in order to provide a safe and secure online source of masks, Proudly South African recently launched its COVID19 mask portal. The purpose of the portal is two-fold. In addition to protecting consumers and providing assurances around the authenticity of masks manufactured locally and which should also be compliant with approved guidelines issued by the Department of Trade, Industry & Competition (dtic), the portal is also a means of safeguarding jobs in the clothing and textile sector.

The clothing, textiles, footwear and leather sector is one that has been especially hard hit in recent years, losing thousands of jobs as many local companies have folded, as they were unable to compete with cheap imports from around the world. At a time when it was managing to claw back some of those lost jobs, the coronavirus hit, setting them back once again. However, in a show of resourcefulness for which South Africans are justly renowned, companies are now re purposing machinery and switching product lines to meet the demand for cloth facemasks.

The portal lists manufacturers who have gone through the clothing manufacturers’ bargaining council and Proudly SA approval processes, and lists information regarding location, production capacity, mask specifications and prices. The portal caters mainly for companies producing a significant number of masks who can meet bulk demand.

For smaller operations, clothes designers and SMMEs who are also finding ways to retain staff and keep trading through the design and manufacture of face masks, the Proudly SA online e-commerce platform www.rsamade.co.za provides an outlet for masks in smaller quantities for consumers to order. In addition, the site carries a number of sanitiser products that are locally manufactured.

Proudly South African is striving at this time to assist its members and broader local manufacturing sector by providing access to market opportunities. At the same time, we are urging the general public to be aware of the imperative, now more than ever before, to support local and assist in retaining precious jobs and in putting our economy back on its feet.

We must not let ourselves be hoodwinked by companies claiming to be local when they are not, or those claiming that their products are suitable for our ongoing fight against the COVID19 pandemic, when they are not.

Buy local to retain and create jobs.

Proudly South African reminds anyone that is trading in fake items that the practice carries a penalty fine of R1 million or 10% of the annual turnover of the company. Any such cases can be reported to the National Consumer Commission on 0800 014 880 or via the website www.thencc.gov.za

For more information on Proudly South African and for the COVID19 mask portal visit www.proudlysa.co.za

Visit Proudly South Africa’s dedicated online shopping platform on www.rsamade.co.za

For media enquiries please contact:

PR Manager: Deryn Graham                             PR Officer: Tshiamo Ndlovu

Office: 011 327 7778 Cell: 083 289 0997            Office: 011 327 7778 Cell: 082 844 6316

deryn@proudlysa.co.za                                     tshiamo@proudlysa.co.za

The Employment and Labour Department has referred the public wishing to collect their R350 social grant to the Social Development Department.

This follows scores of people visiting the department’s labour centres on Monday with the aim of collecting their social grant.

According to reports, large numbers of people flocked to labour centres in Alberton in Gauteng; Port Elizabeth, East London, Grahamstown, Graaf Reinet, Queenstown and Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape; Pinetown in KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town in the Western Cape to collect their R350 social grant.

The department clarified that social grants are a responsibility of the Department of Social Development and not the Department of Employment and Labour.

The latter is only responsible for, among other things, the payment of Unemployment Insurance and for occupational injuries and diseases.

Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi reiterated that labour centres remain closed for the duration of the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown.

“This decision is part of government’s efforts to curb the spread of the virus by minimising and avoiding physical contact. This is in the best interest of both the public and employees of the department.

“While our labour officers continue to process claims to ensure that claimants receive their UIF disbursements on schedule, the centres are not open to the public,” said the Minister.

Unemployment Insurance beneficiaries are encouraged to submit their applications online and/or drop off their applications inside the drop-in facilities outside our labour centres countrywide.

Beneficiaries can submit claims via www.ufiling.co.za or alternatively contact the UIF on 0800 030 007.

The South African Social Services Agency (SASSA) has identified and resolved a glitch that has led to some beneficiaries not being able to access their grants.

“Due to a payment system glitch, some beneficiaries have not been able to access their grants today.  SASSA has identified and resolved the glitch and the implication of this is that funds will now be released to beneficiaries’ accounts this afternoon after 3pm and can even be accessed from tomorrow, 05 May 2020 going forward,” said the agency on Monday.

This as the old age pension and disability grants are available for collection from Monday, 04 May 2020.

In a statement, SASSA said clients using South African Post Office/SASSA cards can go to their nearest Post Office to get their grant as manual payments can be made at these outlets.

For all other grant types, money will be available from 6 May 2020 onwards.

The agency also apologised to all beneficiaries for the inconvenience caused and encouraged beneficiaries who have queries to call  the SASSA customer care number on 033 846 3400 or 0800 601011.

A majority of creatives, who applied to the R150 million COVID-19 Relief Fund established for the creative and sports sectors, have failed to meet the requirements.

“We are concerned that the largest number of those not recommended are artists, who are seemingly in greater need of relief,” the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, said on Monday in Tshwane.

Following the President’s announcement on the state of disaster as a result of COVID-19, the Minister held consultation meetings with the creative and sports sectors.

Subsequent to this, the Minister announced a R150 Million Relief Fund for the sectors. The deadline for submissions was initially 4 April 2020 but was then extended to 6 April 2020, to accommodate those that had not submitted due to limitations of the national lockdown.

After processing the data, the department received nearly 5 000 applications from the arts and culture sector and 300 from the sport sector.

The department has set a ceiling of R20 000 for the relief to ensure that as many people can access the funds.

The independent adjudication committees appointed by the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture has adjudicated a total of 1 050 applications in the arts and culture sector.

A total of 232 applications were recommended, 603 were not recommended and 203 were referred back to the department.

Some of the reasons for non-compliance include the department’s application document missing, or attached but not filled in; no cancellation or even contract documents, no proof of event and applications citing postponement, and not cancellation (as per judging criteria).

The Minister said applicants, who were not recommended, have the option to address the appeals committee.

In an endeavour to assist people, especially those from disadvantaged communities to get funding, the Minister will on Wednesday meet with the arts and culture sector.

“We will be meeting with the sector, especially the key national organisations in the sector, to look at how, within the legal parameters, we can ensure that those who really need the assistance, especially from the disadvantaged communities, receive funding,” he said.

The Minister noted that the department has not moved fast in allocating the funds.

“We have seen that we have not moved as fast as we can in allocating these funds, so we have beefed up our mechanisms in order to fast-track the process. There were technical glitches in the beginning,” he said.

In some instances, the adjudication panel felt that the department needed to give more information.

“They therefore referred such applicants back to the Department. So the back and forth in that process was one of the major causes of the delay, which speaks to inherent flaws in our system,” the Minister said.

Acting Communications and Digital Technologies Minister, Jackson Mthembu, has signed and gazetted directions on the Risk-Adjusted Strategy for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.

The gazetted directions allow, among others, electronic communication services and network services, advertising agencies, film and television production companies to resume operations.

Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the COVID-19 Risk Adjusted Strategy that provides a framework for a responsive guide to the social, educational and economic activities, which can be undertaken during the Sate of National Disaster.

These directions apply in addition to the existing restrictions and rules, that are in place across all sectors and alert levels including COVID-19 health protocols and sanitation requirements.

The following sectors and sub-sectors are permitted to be operational under Alert Level 4:

• Electronic communications services and network services (telecommunications services and infrastructure).
• Manufacturing of telecommunications infrastructure including electronic communications facilities and end-user and subscriber equipment.
• Construction and related services such as telecommunications infrastructure, electronic communications facilities including the resumption of construction and fitting out of data centres currently being built.
• Wholesale and retail, including stores, spaza shops, e-Commerce and informal traders for the production and sale of airtime and data, online and physical retail sale, delivery, collection and replacement of ICT equipment, network equipment, end-user and subscriber equipment and ancillary equipment to support level 4 services as well as to facilitate work-from-home arrangements. Access to broadcasting including set-top-boxes, computers, mobile telephones and other home office equipment, including installation, maintenance and repair.
• Information and Communications Technology services for all private and business customers.
• Broadcasting services, online services, productions for local broadcast and live streaming, advertising agencies, film and television productions using local cast and crew are permitted to operate under alert level 4.
• Postal and courier services related to the transportation of medical products, ICT equipment and other end-user and subscriber equipment and to support other level services are also permitted under alert level 4.
• Financial services such as the provision of banking services by the South African Post Bank and payment of social grants by the South African Postbank, through the South African Post Office branches and other methods shall continue to be operational.

Mthembu said the gazette of these directions follows consultation with the sector and their plans on how they will mitigate the prevention of the spread of the COVID-19.

“The directions further include a monitoring and compliance approach that will be followed by sector regulators, industry representative bodies and through the department’s COVID-19 Project Management Office. The Directions came into effect on 02 May 2020,” said Mthembu on Monday.

The Minister expressed his gratitude to the communications and digital technologies sector for their participation to date, and for the mitigation measures suggested, which will contribute to addressing and curbing the spread of COVID-19.