Category Archives: South African News

News24.com | It’s possible that SA could experience a second surge of coronavirus cases – Zweli Mkhize

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  • Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has warned the risk of a second wave of coronavirus cases remains a possibility.
  • He added that the World Health Organisation would be sending 43 senior experts from across the globe to assist South Africa with the pandemic.
  • Mkhize said while it was still “early days”, the department had undertaken to invest in the development of a vaccine against the coronavirus.

The real risk of experiencing a “second wave” of coronavirus cases remains, so containment measures must not be abandoned, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Wednesday.

Mkhize held an early-morning virtual briefing to update South Africans on the current state of affairs regarding the health department’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are not out of the woods yet. Until we are completely safe, we will keep reviewing restrictions and, if necessary, certain restrictions will still remain in place,” Mkhize said.

Mkhize said South Africa had gone beyond the half-a-million mark of confirmed Covid-19 cases. On Tuesday, night, he announced a cumulative total of 521 318 infections.

“We are happy that even with the targeted testing approach which we adopted as a department based on the Ministerial Advisory Committee [MAC] advice, our testing numbers continue to grow. To date we have tested 3 078 202. This translates to a testing rate of 51 514 per million [of the] population, which compares well to global figures,” the minister said.

Home deaths to be tested for Covid-19

“The question that has been raised is whether the plateau that is observed in some provinces is due to reduced testing numbers or if indeed fewer people are becoming infected with coronavirus. To assess this, we have looked at other key indicators which are that we have seen reduced hospital admissions and persons under investigation (PUIs) presenting in health facilities; we have not breached hospital capacity; and, despite the surge, we have not seen a significant increase in deaths.”

Mkhize said while the department was “cautiously optimistic”, it was still too early to make definite conclusions regarding the observed decline.

“We need to continue to track all these indicators and ensure that our testing capacity reflects a realistic picture of our epidemiological status. We will therefore only know for sure when there is a consistent decline over a period.

“It is worth mentioning that, as part of improving the records of Covid-19-related deaths in response to reports on excess deaths, we now require that all the sudden deaths and those that occur at home must have specimens taken for Covid-19 before a death certificate is issued,” Mkhize said.

Healthcare worker safety and PPE

“As government, we have constantly given our commitment to the public that the protection of health workers, including doctors and nurses, is of utmost importance. This workforce remains at the frontline of our battle against Covid-19 and it is in our interest as government to ensure that they are protected,” Mkhize emphasised.

LIVE | All the latest coronavirus and lockdown updates

He said the Department of Health noted with concern increasing allegations of healthcare workers contracting the coronavirus in the line of duty owing to lack or poor quality of personal protective equipment (PPE).

“We have even received reports that some may be dying after being infected due to the lack of sufficient PPE or due to sufficient PPE not being provided or failure or neglect by management to adhere to prescribed workplace safety protocols,” Mkhize said.

“We want to outrightly state that this cannot be tolerated,” the minister warned.

He said a few days ago he was made aware of reports that a doctor had died at the George Mukhari Academic Hospital, north of Pretoria, due to Covid-19. There were also allegations that this was because of a lack of sufficient supply of PPE and doctors being made to work in an unsafe environment at the facility.

“I viewed these allegations in a serious light and have decided to urgently appoint a team led by Professor Taole Mokoena – together with other medical, nursing and legal professionals – to conduct an urgent investigation and provide me with a report in 14 days from the commencement date. 

“This report will provide me with independent findings and recommendations. These will also be communicated publicly. I want to assure members of the public that if individuals entrusted with positions of power in health facilities or even at district level are found to be in dereliction of duty by not ensuring adherence with health protocols, appropriate action will be taken against them,” Mkhize said.

He encouraged healthcare workers at this facility to avail themselves for this probe. “I believe that this approach of zooming into specific incidents will assist us to establish the real challenges and deficiencies occurring in the health facilities. It will also ensure accountability and promote a culture of heightened awareness of workplace safety.”

Infected healthcare workers

As at 2 August, the number of infected healthcare workers was 24 104, with 181 fatalities recorded. This means that the national infection rate of healthcare workers stands at 5% of all confirmed cases.

“We have also kept track of the level of infection on healthcare workers globally: on 17 July, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that healthcare workers account for 10% of global infections,” Mkhize said.

READ | Lockdown cigarette wars: Govt admits smokers ‘less likely to be infected’ with coronavirus

The department has requested provinces to further verify and break down the data so that it can know exactly how many healthcare workers have died or recovered, as well as provide a full breakdown of categories of healthcare workers.

“While we appreciate that employees can acquire the virus both in their line of duty as well as in the community, we encourage employers in different sectors across the country to continue taking measures to minimise the chances of acquiring the coronavirus in the workplace.”

Concerns by unions

Mkhize said unions have been raising their concerns about workplace safety, the availability and quality of PPE and the mental and physical well-being of their members.

“We have noted reports from unions collected through their fact-finding missions and also the ones indicating shortage of PPE in some hospitals. I have since instructed the provinces to ensure that PPE is immediately made available at those facilities highlighted and for a report to be made available,” Mkhize said.

“The provinces have also been instructed to ensure that occupational health and safety (OHS) committees are established in every province, district and health facility. This is to facilitate constant communication and cooperation between unions and management.

“I have now obliged all provinces to ensure that these committees are fully formed and functional within the week and must meet at least once a week. In these OHS meetings, staff and unions must ventilate all issues and if resolution is not satisfactory, the complaints must be escalated to the relevant MECs.”

Mental well-being of healthcare workers

The mental well-being of healthcare workers is equally important, Mkhize said, more so during high-pressure periods such as the Covid-19 surge.

“I have requested that in all provinces work must be done at provincial, district and facility level to promote psychosocial counselling to deal with the trauma experienced by healthcare workers, ensuring that they get support and manage the problems of fatigue and irritability and any indications of burnout.”

Mkhize said:

To my dear and esteemed colleagues: doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, medical technicians, pharmacists, porters and all general workers, lab technicians, environmental health practitioners, dentists and dental technicians, optometrists – all frontline healthcare workers, for your commitment and resilience, we, as South Africans, are indebted to you.

Bed and oxygen capacity

“We continuously assess the availability of beds, oxygen and staff complement. While there have been constraints, work has been done to ensure vacancies are filled, but we can also confirm that we have not breached our bed capacity and many of our field hospitals are not filled to capacity and we continue to monitor this as we manage the surge.

“We have no doubt experienced challenges and glitches. This is in no way unique to our country. I therefore want to submit, with all humility, that up to now our government has displayed its readiness and has thus far coped with the surge. We remain committed to taking all the measures necessary to protect our people,” Mkhize said.

“It appears we may have benefitted from treatment developments as we were experiencing our surge. Our indications are that there has already been an improvement in the survival rate from ICU [intensive care unit], where the mortality has been reduced demonstrably: one study shows ICU mortality has been reduced by about 25% since the introduction of dexamethasone on 16 June.

“In another study undertaken by MRC [South African Medical Research Council], ICU survival rates showed dramatic improvement at 30% to 40%, whereas the ICU mortality rate at the beginning of the pandemic was around 80%.”

Notwithstanding these encouraging scenarios, the department has directed all provinces to enter into service level agreements with private health facilities to ensure that when bed shortages are experienced, alternatives can be explored.

Update on vaccines

Mkhize said while it was still “early days”, the department had undertaken to invest in the development of a vaccine against the novel coronavirus.

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

WHO team arriving in South Africa

Mkhize announced that the WHO had agreed to government’s request for reinforcements.

“As we know, South Africa is now in the top five globally in terms of the number of infections. I want to pause and acknowledge the WHO director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, for his continuous support and counsel. We know that he and his team have had to carry the global burden in the battle against Covid-19.

“Today we announce that the WHO will be sending 43 senior experts from across the globe, including renowned specialists such as Dr David Heymann, who is a seasoned infectious disease epidemiologist and public health expert. I’m also pleased that Dr Mike Ryan will be leading a team from Geneva and will now be focusing on South Africa and providing us with constant advice while analysing our strategies, including the decisions we have taken as the Department of Health in our Covid-19 response.”

Mkhize said this was a great opportunity, not only to improve South Africa’s health strategies during the pandemic, but also to accelerate its path toward healthcare reform.

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

Don’t become complacent

“We can never overemphasise the importance of good human behaviour and the impact it can have on flattening the curve,” Mkhize warned. “The containment measures being implemented are assisting; however, we must not be complacent. The real risk of experiencing the ‘second wave’ of the pandemic remains, so containment measures must never be abandoned.

“Until we are completely safe, we will keep reviewing restrictions and, if necessary, certain restrictions will still remain in place.”

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News24.com | Ace Magashule convinced me to resign – Andile Lungisa

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  • Ace Magashule convinced Andile Lungisa to resign as MMC for infrastructure and development in the Nelson Mandela Bay, he told News24. 
  • Lungisa said he spoke to Magashule before sending his resignation letter. 
  • He added that he would continue to work on the ground as the party prepares for the 2021 elections. 

Nelson Mandela Bay ANC heavyweight Andile Lungisa resigned from his position in the mayoral council after being prompted by party secretary-general Ace Magashule, he told News24 on Monday. 

Lungisa has been at the centre of controversy since he took the position of councillor in the metro. He was first asked to resign from the position of mayoral committee member on infrastructure and engineering in 2017 following his conviction of aggravated assault against a DA member.

His influence and proximity to Luthuli House was said to have given him an edge against his detractors in the provincial executive. 

Speaking to News24, Lungisa said he spoke to Magashule who instructed him to heed the call for his resignation. 

“I had a telephonic conversation with the SG [Magashule] and he explained the party processes, how we must be able to manage the processes as a disciplined member of the ANC. I then heeded the organisation’s call”.

Lungisa has been replaced by former mayor Mongameli Bobani. 

He added he would continue as an ordinary councillor while working on the ground with party structures to gain support for the ANC as the country heads to the 2021 local elections. 

The ANC caucus, which is seen to be led by Lungisa, has been at logger heads with the regional task team resulting in the caucus sending a letter to Magashule’s office.

The caucus has accused the Regional Task Team (RTT) of collaborating with the DA to undermine its work, while News24 understands the RTT, led by Nceba Faku, is believed to have written to Luthuli House after the ANC caucus disregarded an order against voting for Mvuleni Mapu. 

Mapu was flagged by National Treasury as the reason for withholding the R800 million grant to the metro. 

READ | Lungisa out, Bobani back in as MMC in Nelson Mandela Bay

In the letter seen by News24 and sent earlier in July, party caucus chief whip Lutho Suka said the approach of the provincial executive committee (PEC) and national executive committee (NEC) deployees into the affairs of the ANC in the metro should be discursive and participatory and not be instructive on how the affairs of its unique politics were run.

Suka said a new culture was emerging of no engagement with deployees but instead what was communicated was instruction.

“The absence of the PEC and the NEC is noted with concern as its presence would alleviate a lot of the unnecessary elements which arise as a result.

“The absence opens a space for uncalculated political interventions that have a potential to collapse the existence and continuity of both the metro and the black caucus.

“It becomes difficult when allegations of corruption of some key ANC officials such as RTT convener and co-ordinator respectively, who are said to have benefitted from the Covid-19 budget kickbacks are raised.

“These matters are raised within the municipal coalition caucus against the soul of the organisation and, for us, there is no upper structure to adjudicate the matter in the absence of the PEC/NEC. This also strains the capacity of the whippery to deal with the corruption allegations of both the municipality and organisational officials at the same time,” Suka wrote. 

Earlier in July, The Herald reported that SACP district secretary Lunga Nombexeza opened a case of fraud and corruption against RTT convener Luyolo Nqakula, alleging he had received R300 000 from a Free State company that was contracted by the City to deliver toilets to informal settlements. 

Nqakula could not be reached for comment. 

ALSO READ | Lungisa: They fear me because I raise the issue of land

Lungisa said the caucus would remain united and firm against those “within the RTT who were accused of corruption”. 

“A song was sung when we came in 2016 that here are the thieves. The song has been changed. What we will never allow is for the song to return. With no fear or favour there will be no middle ground, if anybody who is taking us to war, we are prepared to go to war”.

He added allegations of corruption against party members in Covid-19-related contracts had been flagged to Luthuli House. 

“We have raised allegations of corruption internally in the province but nobody has the appetite to attend. We have escalated the matter to the SG.

“We are hoping later it will be attended but if it is not attended, the people of the metro will address any other aspects themselves, if all the allegations of corruption against those who are in the RTT position are not attended. The matter will be in the hands of the community later,” he warned. 

News24.com | EXPLAINER | Why UFS academics believe more pandemics may be on the way

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Prof Robert Bragg, Prof Aliza le Roux and Dr Martin Nyaga.

Prof Robert Bragg, Prof Aliza le Roux and Dr Martin Nyaga.

  • Academics at UFS believe there may be more pandemics in the future. 
  • This is because of human’s interaction with animals, and not learning from previous pandemics. 
  • A senior lecturer furthermore believes new viruses will keep emerging due to its nature to mutate and adapt.  

People worldwide, including South Africans, should prepare for more pandemics in the future, academics at the University Free State (UFS) believe.

The academics also believe the current coronavirus, which has infected more than 18 million people and killed close to 700 000, is only a dress rehearsal for an even bigger pandemic.

UFS Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology Department researcher Professor Robert Bragg and Natural and Agricultural Sciences and Zoology assistant dean and entomology associate professor Aliza le Roux believe this is because of human’s interaction with animals, and not learning from previous pandemics. 

READ | See the new revised calendar for the 2020 school year

Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) senior lecturer and researcher Dr Martin Nyaga believes viruses will keep emerging due to the nature of viruses to mutate and adapt. 

News24 looked at why UFS academics believe there may be more pandemics on the way, and how the next wave of viruses may be created. 

Why will there be more pandemics on the way? 

Bragg said the current coronavirus pandemic might look small compared to oncoming viruses which he called “the real big pandemic”. 

“Many virologists, including me, have been predicting an influenza pandemic for many years. Mankind has been warned about the coming pandemics for many years, but people seem to want to listen only when they are in the midst of a pandemic”.

Bragg said:

The bird-flu virus, influenza H5N1, has a mortality rate of around 60 to 65%, but it has not yet developed human-to-human transmission. If this virus does develop human-to-human transmission, we could be in for a really serious pandemic. We need to prepare for the next major pandemic.

Le Roux said human’s need for affordable meat on a regular basis was creating the perfect breeding ground for more diseases like this. 

READ | Covid-19 ‘storm’ has hit KZN, warns Premier

“This means our demand for meat is driving cheaper and less controlled agricultural practices, cramming more animals into smaller spaces, feeding them less and less natural fodder. 

“Remember mad cow disease? Have you seen chicken batteries? We should not blame ‘exotic’ eating practices, but look at our own. If we could see eating meat as a ‘treat’ and not a daily ‘right’, we can reduce pressure on the environment and reduce the speed at which another zoonotic virus can evolve”.

How may these viruses be created? 

Bragg said the previous coronavirus that caused global concern, SARS, also originated in a wet food market in China – just like Covid-19. 

He added SARS was traced back to a civet cat used for meat in such a wet food market and had a high mortality rate but could only be transmitted when a person showed clinical signs. 

Therefore, measuring the temperature of people was useful and beneficial. 

Bragg added:

There are many other examples of serious human pandemics which was spread from animals to humans. Another good example is the Ebola virus, which has also been traced to people eating bats in Africa. Yet another example is HIV, which is believed to have spread to man as a result of the consumption of chimpanzee meat.

“The most serious has been the 1918 Spanish flu, which started off in pigs and spread to man. All of these have to do with the mistreatment of animals by man.”

Nyaga said more disease outbreaks were possible within not only the coronavirus domain, but also any other class of organisms. 

“The ever-changing nature of viruses, mainly due to mutations and other mechanisms of genetic diversity, could occur through chain of transmission, including via the intermediate hosts,” he added.  

“This kind of antigenic mutations could make the general population vulnerable due to lack of immunity against the new strains of emerging strains or completely novel viruses”.

PA Communication 4 of 2020 – Guidance relating to the duration of Banks Act Directive 3 of 2020

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Publish Date: 2020-08-03
Category: PA Public Awareness

  

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News24.com | Covid-19: Another 213 deaths, as positive cases jump to 511 485

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A health worker sanitises his hands between taking swab samples at a collection booth at a hospital.

A health worker sanitises his hands between taking swab samples at a collection booth at a hospital.

Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times via Getty Images

  • South Africa has recorded 213 new deaths, bringing the total to 8 366.
  • Gauteng leads with 180 532 positive cases.
  • The country’s recovery rate now sits at 68%.

As of Sunday, the country has recorded another 213 Covid-19 deaths, taking the total to 8 366, the Department of Health says.

Of the new fatalities, 25 are from the Eastern Cape, 40 from Gauteng, 31 from KwaZulu-Natal, 43 from the Western Cape, 51 from the Free State, and 23 from Limpopo.

South Africa has now recorded 511 485 cases – Gauteng leading with 180 532 cases, followed by the Western Cape with 96 838, and the Eastern Cape 79 410.

Remaining breakdown per province –

Free State: 23 099

KwaZulu-Natal: 82 300

Limpopo: 9 044

Mpumalanga: 15 120

North West: 19 961

Northern Cape: 5 131

Unknown: 50

Total: 511 485

The country has recorded  347 227 recoveries which translates to a recovery rate of 68%.

To date, 3 036 779 tests have been conducted, with 57% in the private sector and 43% in the public sector.

News24.com | ‘A positive outcome is coming’ – Cele again promises progress in 6-year Senzo Meyiwa murder probe

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Senzo Meyiwa. (Gallo Images)

Senzo Meyiwa. (Gallo Images)

  • Police Minister Bheki Cele says that “a positive outcome is coming” in the Senzo Meyiwa murder case.
  • This comes after an anonymous person asked the minister about the status of the case.
  • The family of the slain football star recently turned to lobby group, AfriForum in the pursuit of justice. 

Police Minister Bheki Cele says that although he has no time frame, a positive outcome is coming with respect to the killing of South African football star Senzo Meyiwa.

“I knew that this question was going to come, that case is going to be resolved,” he said during a question-and-answer session on Newzroom Afrika on Sunday night.

This comes after an anonymous viewer sent in a question via email asking “what is happening with the Senzo Meyiwa case?”

“The issue of this case was that there was a lot of interference with it initially, but I believe we have begun to clear the system, and definitely positive results will be announced on the case.

“I would not put a time frame, but a positive outcome is coming,” Cele said.

READ:  Five years pf heartbreak: Sam Meyiwa’s fight to the death to get justice for Senzo

Meyiwa was killed during a robbery, nearly six years ago at his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo’s home in October 2014

Five others were present at the time, News24 earlier reported.

Meyiwa’s distraught father Sam died from a second stroke in July 2019 without seeing justice in the murder of his son.

This is not the first time that Cele has made such promises of progress.

Following the death of Sam Meyiwa, Cele visited the Meyiwa home in Umlazi, Durban, where he told a contingent of journalists outside the home that “there is good progress in the case”.

News24 reported that Cele further told journalists: “What I will do this time is stand by [the fact] that the case will be solved.”

The family of the slain Bafana Bafana star recently turned to lobby group, AfriForum for assistance in their pursuit of justice.

AfriForum called on the National Prosecuting Authority to recommend a formal inquest into the death of football star.

“The formal inquest will give advocate Gerrie Nel and the interested parties the opportunity to test the evidence and cross-examine the witnesses.

“This will assist the magistrate in judging who was responsible for Meyiwa’s death,” CEO Kallie Kriel previously said.

News24.com | Here’s when the school year will end: Education dept releases revised calendar dates

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Grade 12 learners of Rosendaal Senior Secondary in Delft.

Grade 12 learners of Rosendaal Senior Secondary in Delft.

Roger Sedres

  • The Department of Basic Education has revised the 2020 school calendar for the second time this year.
  • The revised calendar see 153 days of learning for pupils in public schools for the rest of the year.
  • The 2020 matric exam results will be released in February 2021.

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has released the revised calendar for the 2020 school year.

Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that public schools would close for four weeks from 27 July to 24 August.

Grade 12 pupils will, however, return to class on Monday, while children in Grade 7 will return on 10 August.

READ | Schools could close on 15 December, matric results to be released in February, leaked proposal shows

On Friday, News24 revealed that the a document compiled during a Heads of Education Departments Committee (Hedcom) workshop proposed concluding the school year by 15 December.

The department has confirmed the school year for Grades R to 11 will be concluded on 15 December, while the Grade 12 examinations will also be completed by the same date.

It adds marking of the matric exams be concluded on 22 January with results released on 23 February 2021.

“The consultation process has been concluded with all stakeholders and the Council of Education Ministers approved the revised school calendar. It is the second time this year that the school calendar has been revised to accommodate the changes that have been brought by the impact of the coronavirus,” said DBE in a statement on Saturday.

“A break in school will be needed to separate the third and fourth terms. As a result there will be a one week break in October from 26 to 30.The teaching, learning and assessment for 2020 academic year must be concluded by 15 December 2020 for Grade R-11.”

Teachers will return on 25 January for the 2021 school year, while pupils will go back to school “a few days later”.

The department said the revised calendar and directions for the basic education sector will be issued and gazetted next week.

News24.com | Deputy finance minister responds to ANC integrity body, defends actions in alleged extortion case

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Deputy Finance Minister Dr David Masondo has been asked by the ANC integrity committee to step down.

Deputy Finance Minister Dr David Masondo has been asked by the ANC integrity committee to step down.

Gallo Images/Felix Dlangamandla

  • Deputy Finance Minister David Masondo says he has done nothing wrong in reporting an alleged crime implicating a former lover.
  • Earlier this week, the ANC’s Integrity Committee suggested Masondo step down for bringing the organisation into disrepute.
  • Masondo says he reported the crime based on the counsel of his lawyer, in his personal capacity and in light of the public office he holds.

Deputy Finance Minister David Masondo has responded to calls by the ANC’s Integrity Committee for him to step down, saying he has done nothing wrong.

The committee’s chairperson, George Mashamba, wrote to Masondo on 18 July, asking him to voluntarily step down from his position given accusations made against him that he had used his influence as deputy minister to set the Hawks on a former lover. The committee claimed Masondo’s actions brought disrepute to the organisation.

Last year, AmaBhungane reported Masondo had used his influence and state resources to settle a personal score with a former lover by having her arrested for extortion.

News24 also revealed how the woman was arrested in a sting operation in August last year.

READ | Woman arrested then freed after deputy finance minister lays R300 000 bribery complaint

WhatsApp messages between him and the 30-year-old woman, who asked not to be named, suggested it was Masondo, 44, who had first offered money because he “wanted peace” and the fighting between them to stop. He was accused of bullying the woman into having an abortion and her wanting the two families to discuss damages.

After tipping off the Hawks, the woman was arrested outside her home in northern Johannesburg on 17 August when she accepted a bag of cash from men she understood were representing Masondo, but were actually undercover cops, AmaBhungane reported. 

Mashamba said this was poor judgement, saying the demands placed on Masondo did not fall within the mandate of the Hawks.

In a written response to the committee on Friday, which News24 has seen, Masondo said he reported what he regarded as a criminal act of extortion, harassment and death threats to the police.

He adds that he notes the Commission seems to regard the incident “as a domestic matter”.

Masondo also writes that he “acknowledges” that he “reported the matter to a wrong section of the police – Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (also colloquially known as the Hawks), which according to the Integrity Commission does not deal with extortion”.

“It was not an easy decision for me to report the matter to the police, but acted on the advice of my lawyer that the Hawks is the legally appropriate institution responsible for crimes such as extortion.”

Deputy Finance Minister David Masondo

Masondo adds that his lawyer advised him to report the crime in both his personal capacity, and due to his position as a government official.

He further states his lawyer “advised that, as a public official, I also have more responsibility as I am enjoined by Section 34(1) of the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act12 of 2004 (the Act) to report such a crime to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation(DPCI) if I bear knowledge of its committal and the perpetrator(s) thereof”. 

Masondo also writes that he “was taken aback” when requested to appear before the ANC Integrity Commission in June, as he had been “advised by the Commission Chairperson around November 2019 that the ANC Integrity Commission had discussed the matter and agreed that there was nothing wrong in me reporting a crime”.

The deputy minister sent his letter to the committee along with the following:

  • the legal advice that informed his reporting to the police;
  • his submission to the Public Protector following the allegation by the Democratic Alliance that he abused his power for reporting the crime to the Hawks;
  • his written submission he sent to the Integrity Commission via email;
  • as well as WhatsApp messages that he claims corroborate the harassment and torment his family faced.

News24.com | ‘It makes us sick!’ – Civil society organisations angry over PPE corruption reports

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Civil society organisations have spoken out against Covid-19 corruption.

Civil society organisations have spoken out against Covid-19 corruption.

Getty Images

  • Some of South Africa’s leading civil society organisations have harsh words following allegations of Covid-19-related corruption by government officials.
  • A number of high-ranking government officials have been asked to “step aside” to allow investigations into the allegations to take place.
  • The organisations have called on government to act on the allegations.

A number of South Africa’s foremost civil society organisations have expressed their anger and disappointment over reports of widespread corruption involving funds meant to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a joint statement, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Corruption Watch, Freedom Under Law, Johannesburg Against Injustice, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse, Patriotic Movement, the South African Communist Party in Gauteng, and Section 27 said it was troubling that in Gauteng alone, some 91 companies who received purchase orders from the Department of Health were under investigation.

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“We commend the Gauteng provincial government’s decision to give priority to a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into personal protective equipment (PPE) procurement processes.

“We also welcome [Thursday’s] statements by [Gauteng] Premier David Makhura indicating that Health MEC Bandile Masuku has been placed on leave pending investigation, in light of media allegations involving Royal Bhaca and an alleged PPE contract,” the joint statement, issued by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, read.

“We acknowledge that the Premier has requested a support team from the national Department of Health to assist the province, as Gauteng reaches its peak infection rate and MEC Jacob Mamabolo takes over in an acting position from Masuku.”

Officials asked to ‘step aside’

News24 reported earlier that the ANC in Gauteng had asked Masuku and his wife, City of Johannesburg shared services MMC Loyiso Masuku, to “step aside”, along with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, over the R125 million personal protective equipment tender awarded to King Madzikane II Diko’s Royal Bacha projects.

OPINION | Democracy, meritocracy and pragmatism in SA’s Covid-19 battle

The party’s provincial secretary Jacob Khawe said the provincial executive committee (PEC) had resolved that the trio must take a leave of absence while the ANC’s integrity commission investigated claims made against them in the media.

According to the joint statement, “covidpreneurship” was occurring at the same time that millions of South Africans were facing job losses and increased poverty.

“There are harrowing stories daily of malnutrition; of retrenchments, business closures and of communities being unable to access healthcare and other services. Our country has had to borrow money from the IMF [International Monetary Fund] to deal with the crisis.

‘Covid corruption makes us sick!’

“Yet, for the ruthless ‘covidpreneur’, and those within state and other institutions who enable corruption, this is simply an opportunity to exploit the situation. These are people who are unashamed about stealing money meant for protective gear for nurses and doctors, for food parcels for the poor, for workers who find themselves unemployed, for hospitals which require beds and ventilators, for schools that need to ensure that pupils still learn, and for communities in desperate need of services. Covid-19 corruption makes us sick!”

The organisations want the Gauteng government to:

  • Ensure that the Department of Health cooperates fully with the SIU investigation.
  • Extend full cooperation to investigating and prosecuting authorities to secure return of
    monies paid in corrupt procurement deals.
  • Ensure disciplinary processes against public representatives and officials involved in
    issuing or influencing irregular contracts.
  • Press criminal charges against public servants and representatives, as well as businesses that are found to have violated procurement procedures and benefitted unduly from the process. The way must be cleared for the law to take its course, and for those guilty of looting public money to face jail sentences.
  • Make all Covid-19 procurement details publicly available in the interest of transparency
    and accountability. This information should include details of quotations sourced,
    companies who receive contracts, and the unit cost of the items or services they will be
    providing. For infrastructure projects, the timeframes for delivery should be included.
  • Introduce better procurement monitoring systems to oversee awarding of contracts during Covid-19.
  • Disqualify from getting contracts those companies who have no track record of work in a particular area, or those that are merely playing the role of ‘middle man’.
  • Place companies involved in Covid-19 corruption on a specific database and prevent
    them from conducting business with the state in future.
  • Set up a Covid-19 provincial hotline in the Premier’s office to complement the South
    African Council of Church’s ‘Unburdening Panel’ process that has now been reopened.
    Honest public servants and members of the public should be able to easily report any
    Covid-19 related corruption, which can be immediately escalated to law enforcement
    agencies.
  • Prohibit members of an executive committee of any political party and their immediate
    families from doing business with the state. This will weed out all those who are in
    politics based on self-interest.
  • Champion policy that prohibits all public employees and elected officials from doing
    business with the state.
  • Introduce lifestyle audits for public representatives and officials during this period to
    monitor any signs of personal financial gain.

“We urge the Gauteng provincial government to give serious consideration to these recommendations and set the tone that corruption will not be tolerated,” the organisations added.

“We also enjoin other provinces to adopt measures such as these to prevent and tackle Covid-19 corruption within their administrations. Similar recommendations were made by civil society organisations early on in the pandemic to the Presidency to prevent the very situation that we now find ourselves in.

Friday Briefing | Falling Apart: The collapse of governance in the Eastern Cape