Category Archives: South African News

News24.com | Lockdown: More liquor looting as 3 arrested in Stellenbosch

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The number of incidents of liquor looting during the lockdown continues to increase following the arrest of three men who broke into a bottle store in Stellenbosch on Sunday morning.

According to police, three male suspects allegedly broke into the store after breaking a window and stole an undisclosed amount of alcohol before fleeing in a vehicle.

“A local security company vehicle on patrol in the area was flagged by a passer-by who alerted the guards to the burglary,” police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said in a statement.

“They circulated the information and drove in the direction the vehicle was alleged to have sped. Meanwhile, traffic officials manning a roadblock nearby saw the vehicle approaching and stopped it.”

READ | 21 arrested after 16 liquor stores looted in the Western Cape, Cele calls urgent meeting

Metro police at the roadblock found the stolen alcohol in the vehicle and immediately arrested the suspects.

Potelwa said the suspects, aged 43, 33 and 29, are expected to appear in the Stellenbosch Magistrate’s court on Tuesday on charges of burglary and possession of stolen property.

“The integrated efforts of the traffic officers and security guards are commended by SAPS management as the Province deals with a spate of burglaries at liquor stores.”

News24 previously reported that a police investigation led to an arrest after a truck transporting liquor from Paarl to Table Bay Harbour for exportation was hijacked on Thursday.

“It is alleged that the driver was hijacked by suspects during a mechanical breakdown en route to the harbour,” Western Cape police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said on Sunday. 

“The truck and trailer were both later discovered in Mitchells Plain without the cargo.”

Investigations led to the arrest of a male suspect in his thirties on Saturday.

READ | Lockdown: Two Cape Town cops busted for buying booze worth R4 000

Earlier on Sunday, the police confirmed 21 suspects have been arrested following 16 incidents of alleged looting in the Western Cape since the start of the lockdown. Two police officers have also been arrested for allegedly buying alcohol worth R4000.

In Mpumalanga, two police officers were arrested on Friday night for defeating the ends of justice.

According to police, the officers were stopped and found to have been illegally escorting three bakkies, each loaded to the brim with alcohol.

“The three vehicles allegedly belong to a tavern owner who was also arrested with two other drivers for contravening the lockdown regulations in relation the restriction on the movement of liquor,” police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said.

Police Minister Bheki Cele issued a stern warning to those breaking regulations, saying that they would be dealt with decisively.

“The general crime picture since the Covid-19 lockdown continues to reflect a decrease and such incidents must therefore be intercepted and the perpetrators arrested, Cele said.

 “Our law-abiding citizens must continue to work with law enforcement against criminals as we together ensure the survival of the human race against Covid-19.”

News24.com | SA’s coronavirus death toll now at 25 after Western Cape man dies

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A  61-year-old man from the Western Cape has died after testing positive for Covid-19, bringing the death toll in the country to 25.

Health Minister Dr Zwelini Mkhize confirmed the death on Saturday night, saying the man had underlying health issues that included diabetes, hypertension and obesity.

“It is with sadness that we are reporting a new Covid-19-related death. This takes the total number of deaths to 25,” Mkhize said in a statement.

“We convey our condolences to the family of the deceased and also appreciate the health workers who treated the deceased patient.”

The number of South Africans who have tested positive for Covid-19 now stands at 2 028, with 75 053 having been tested to date.

Earlier this week, a 57-year-old man from the Western Cape also died of the virus. He was admitted to hospital on Sunday, tested positive for Covid-19 and died on Monday. He had diabetes and ischaemic heart disease.

In a social media post, Mkhize reassured people that to date, it appeared there was little chance of re-infection once a person had contracted the virus.

News24.com | LIVE | SA death toll rises to 25, while US and Italy have largest coronavirus deaths

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Friday Wrap

South Africa’s death toll hit 24 on Friday, as the number of confirmed cases broke 2 000.

But Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize, was cautiously optimistic about the progress, telling a press conference that the country appeared to be bucking the trend with curbing the spread. 

Here are the top stories from Friday

Mkhize said on Friday that the number of positive Covid-19 cases was 2 003, but 410 people have recovered. 


Mkhize also recommended that South Africans start wearing cloth masks to help limit the spread of Covid-19, rather than using medical masks reserved for healthcare workers.


President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered an address at a virtual church service where he called for unity over the coronavirus.


School holidays may be scrapped in order to recover lost time as Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga contemplates the best way to salvage the 2020 academic year.


Investigating officers looking into the case against Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams have already appraoched the National Prosecuting Authority about the case, Police Minister Bheki Cele has said. Ndabeni-Abrahams is in hot water after admitting to transgressing lockdown regulations.

TV and radio personality Somizi Mhlongo has found himself on the wrong side of the law after Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula opened a criminal case against him. Mhlongo on Thursday had claimed that Mbalula had told him about the lockdown extension before the official announcement. He later apologised. 

Conservationists have welcomed the Chinese government’s ban on the consumption of wild animal products, and have called on tighter control over the illegal trade after it emerged that the Covid-19 may have been transferred to humans from pangolins. 


The star of The Bachelor SA season 2, Marc Buckner, made a claim on Instagram saying he was arrested for allegedly violating South Africa’s regulations during the national lockdown period.


Meanwhile, the national police commissioner General Khehla Sitole said 12 police officers have tested positive for the novel coronavirus

News24.com | PODCAST | …ONE MORE THING: Understanding GBV in a time of Covid-19 as lockdown is extended

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After days of speculation, President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed on Thursday that the 21-day nationwide Covid-19 lockdown would be extended by an additional two weeks.

This further prolongs the restrictions placed on South Africans as government tries to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The first phase of the lockdown hasn’t been without its challenges.

Although there’s been a drop in violent crime, thanks in part to a heavy army and police presence on the streets, gender-based violence cases are still high.

Police Minister Bheki Cele said on Sunday that the number of complaints remained high and was concerning.

“Over 2 300 calls or complaints have been registered since the beginning of the lockdown on 27 March until 31 March and from these 148 suspects were charged. The figure in relation to calls or complaints between January and 31 March stands at 15 924.”

PODCAST | Covid-19 Chronicles: Victims of GBV could face a terrifying reality during SA lockdown

In this episode of …One More Thing, a weekly podcast hosted by News24 senior political journalist Tshidi Madia, she sits down with Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng, affectionately known as Dr T.

She is a medical doctor and a commissioner of the Commission for Gender Equality.

She joins Madia to discuss the implications of a nationwide lockdown on people who are at risk of abuse.

Mofokeng also gives us insight into the type of cases she’s been offering her expertise to and the various avenues available for people who need help. 

News24.com | LIVE | Covid-19 in SA: Death toll at 24 as cases break 2 000

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SA death toll hits 20, the country is ‘bucking the infection trend’, and public hospitals to pool resources with private ones – Health Minister Zweli Mkhize  

Mkhize has wrapped up his address in Pietermaritzburg, here is a summary of the key points

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has announced the Covid-19 death toll now sits at 24, with the number of cases breaking the 2 000 mark, now at 2 003.

He said Gauteng still leads the numbers with 801 cases followed by Western Cape with 541, KwaZulu-Natal has 412. There have been 410 recoveries.  

Deaths have only happened in KZN, the Western Cape, Gauteng and Free State, Mkhize said.

The youngest death was 41, Mkhize said, but noted that the majority of deaths happened to people who have pre-existing ailments, and the real cause of death may have been that pre-existing condition.  

In terms of recoveries per province, Gauteng: 157; Western Cape 152; KZN 15; Free State 61; Eastern Cape 3; Limpopo 13; Mpumalanga 6; and North West 3.  

Showing graphs to members of the media, Mkhize said the evidence worldwide showed that lockdowns dramatically decrease the number of infections.  

Mkhize shows a graph of South Africa’s infections, which shows the rate of infections going up – but that slows down since the lockdown was introduced. He says South Africa may be bucking the trend and the stats were an early indication that the lockdown has worked.  

The initial outbreak were infections from overseas – via tourists or South Africans returning to the country – and when the lockdown came, “the importation of new cases” came to a halt. This was aided by enforced quarantines to people coming into the country.  

“Anyone who doubted [the lockdown] should now be convinced,” Mkhize says.  

He says, at the moment, the problem is internal transmissions, but the country has managed to “disrupt” these transmissions from a daily increase of about 40% before the lockdown to just 4% after.  

Mkhize said 10 652 people have been traced via contact tracing – those people who have come into contact with people positive with Covid-19, and many have already been tracked down.

He said there are 13 488 “tracers” in the field to carry out this kind of job.  

Meanwhile, Mkhize announced that coronavirus-hit St Augustine’s Hospital in Durban is closed.  

None of the hospitals units are open, but some patients remain there because they can’t be housed elsewhere.  

He said the government need to do a bed count at public hospitals and private hospitals, and those in public hospitals will be able to use private hospital beds if there is no space at public hospitals. 

Joint Directive under the Regulations in terms of section 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002

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Publish Date: 2020-04-09
Category: PA Public Awareness

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News24.com | LIVE | All the latest coronavirus and lockdown updates

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2020-04-09 06:00

News24 team

Stay up to date with the latest news, views and analysis as the number of coronavirus cases in SA increases.

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CORONAVIRUS FAQs | All your questions answered

SPECIAL HUB | Bored? Hungry? Fed up with the kids? We have got you covered during the lockdown

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Last Updated at 09:29

06:17

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The coronavirus pandemic notched up another round of record death tolls in the United States and Europe, dousing the optimism of US President Donald Trump who insisted there was light at the end of the tunnel.

The virus has now killed more than 86,000 people and infected 1.5 million, sparing almost no country and tipping the world into a devastating economic crisis as global commerce shudders to a halt.

For the second straight day, the US grieved nearly 2,000 deaths on Wednesday, as flags flew at half-mast in hardest-hit New York.

There was also a record death toll of 938 over 24 hours in Britain, where Prime Minister Boris Johnson spent a third night in intensive care, his condition said to be “improving.”

France saw its total number of dead climb over 10,000 as the country prepared to extend its strict lockdown measures.

Spain and Italy are still seeing hundreds of deaths per day despite tentative signs the disease may have peaked.

And the pandemic is marching into areas previously only lightly affected: in Africa, Ethiopia declared a state of emergency and Liberia said it was locking down its capital Monrovia.

21:21

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‘I don’t give a damn’ – WHO chief addresses death threats, racist insults

Director general of the World Health Organisation (WHO) , Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says he has been receiving death threats and racist insults from people.He said some personal attacks came from people in Taiwan a few months ago. 

Ghebreyesus brushed off these personal attacks on Wednesday in a press conference, but said a line was crossed when people insulted Africa. He would have been alluding to rumours being circulated about vaccines being tested in Africa.

“Then I don’t tolerate [it], then I say people are crossing a line…we cannot tolerate that,” he said. “When it’s personal, when it’s death threats, I didn’t care, I didn’t respond… I am a very proud black person.

“I assure you, we [as WHO] will do everything we can to serve humanity. We will do everything to help us have no regrets at all.”

18:23

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Sassa Grant Payment Dates Changed

As of May, Sassa grants for disability and Older Persons Grants will be paid from the 4th day of the month. All other grants will be paid from the 6th of every month.

Grant collection days have changed since the national lockdown. 

The body has said that the grant payment for April was brought forward to the 30 March and the first two days were dedicated to people with disabilities and older persons to ensure compliance with new regulations.

However, child support grant beneficiaries were seen to be impatient, Sassa said, and could not wait for the 1 April and descended upon payment channels as early as 30 March.

“This posed all sorts of health challenges and it became difficult at some stores and ATMs to maintain social distancing,” a statement read, citing a “nasty scene” in a Dobsonville shopping centre in Soweto where a group of youngsters were captured on video pushing older people in order to access payment infrastructure first. 

As a result, the above changes have taken effect. 

Pictured is a police officer assisting an elderly woman after she collected her Sassa  grant payment on day four of the national lockdown. (Gallo Images/Roger Sedrus)

14:19

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ICYMI: The latest SA news:

Part of their attempt to support healthcare workers for the critical work they are doing to fight the pandemic, Old Mutual will now provide South African healthcare workers with free life insurance worth R10 000 due to Covid-19. 

Springbok legend Danie Gerber’s wife Elsabe has now also tested positive for the coronavirus.

EFF calls for the removal of Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams from Cabinet for breaching lockdown regulations.

Restaurants are not seeing much light at the end of the tunnel – with retrenchments and possible closures looming, particularly for small establishments.

12:17

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ICYMI: The latest news in SA: 

President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Ms Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams on special leave for two months – one month of which will be unpaid.

Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams has issued a public apology for breaking lockdown regulations

The ANC has welcomed the decision by President Cyril Ramaphosa to place Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Comrade Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams on special leave for breaching lockdown regulations. 

Some 500 post offices will remain open for the remainder of South Africa’s national Covid-19 lockdown, but they won’t be delivering any mail.

The current lockdown regulations could leave over a thousand commercial line fisherman destitute, according to industry representatives.

12:04

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ANC welcomes action taken by president against comrade Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams

The African National Congress (ANC) fully supports and welcomes the decision by President Cyril Ramaphosa to place Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Comrade Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams on special leave for breaching lock down regulations.  

The ANC calls on all its deployees and the rest of society to respect and abide by the letter and spirit of all lockdown regulations in order to effectively disrupt the chain of transmission occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic.  

The national effort to contain and slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus is based on united action and social solidarity.   The message is clear, the lockdown is meant for all of us. Stay at home.  

Issued by the African National Congress

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News24.com | Ramaphosa to make ‘serious decisions’ about lockdown based on science, possible economic repercussions

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President Cyril Ramaphosa will make “serious decisions” about the lockdown after considering all options based on scientific modelling and advice as well as the possible economic repercussions of the nationwide shutdown.

Jackson Mthembu, the minister in the presidency, told News24 Ramaphosa had not yet taken a decision whether the current lockdown would be extended or whether a second lockdown was being considered.

There have been no proposals tabled at the National Command Council which was the government body chaired by Ramaphosa tasked with managing South Africa’s response to the coronavirus, he said.

Three health experts say any premature suspension of the lockdown will lead to an increase in the rate of infections, which seemingly have started to slow down.

READ | Numbers continue to grow as Mkhize warns about coming storm

Economists, however, are warning a prolonged lockdown may cause irreparable harm to the economy, with Finance Minister Tito Mboweni set to hold a press conference on Thursday to address recent economic developments, which include another ratings downgrade.

Covid19 fast facts

– Number of confirmed infections: 1 845

– Number of tests: 63 776

– Number of recoveries: 45

– Number of confirmed deaths: 18

According to Mthembu, the president would look to consult with various sectors and stakeholders before making a decision as he did before he announced the lockdown almost three weeks ago.

“First, we must make a proper assessment if we have achieved all of our objectives, which was to a greater degree to flatten the infection curve and ensure it doesn’t peak. What we’ll have to review is whether we’ve achieved that,” he said, adding the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the Department of Health were leading this assessment.

“The issue of the [lockdown] extension has not yet arisen. If it comes, there will be serious decisions to be made. The National Command Council discusses all recommendations that come before it, and there must be scientific evidence supporting any recommendation from the national joint operational and intelligence structure,” Mthembu said.

Ramaphosa will consult again

Various stakeholders, both inside and outside the government, are currently preparing models attempting to predict the rate of infection as well as to determine whether the current lockdown has been successful. These models, including those being developed outside of the government, will be presented to the National Command Centre.

The economic implications of the lockdown, as well as a possible second lockdown, is being debated at the highest levels of the state, with officials and ministers looking at ways to kick-start the economy as soon as possible.

The SA Reserve Bank expects GDP to contract by between 2 and 4% after the lockdown.

A senior academic, who is part of one of several groups working on the modelling and projection of the Covid-19 outbreak, said the rate of new infections had now reached a linear trajectory, seemingly showing the lockdown was working.

He did not wish to be quoted as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

ALSO READ | Mkhize: Health workers are our primary soldiers in coronavirus fight, they have to be safe

Compared with in the rate in mid-late March when the increase in infection rates was “exponential”, infection rates have slowed significantly.

But this was a snapshot in time and did not factor in the lifting of the lockdown or certain conditions of it, he said. If the lockdown was to be lifted, the rate of infections would again increase drastically.

Another epidemiologist, who is also involved in efforts to provide information to the government and also not authorised to speak to the media, said the peak infection rate would only be reached in a few months and emphasised that testing efforts, described as currently inadequate, would need to be ramped up significantly.

Limiting transmissions

Dr Kerrin Begg, a public health specialist at the University of Stellenbosch, said from a public health point of view, the best way to limit community transmissions was to limit movement dramatically.

The flattened peak of infections being observed now was mostly based on imported cases, she said.

“It is likely that our big curve of the epidemic is only starting now. So, returning to a fully operational society has significant risk in that as you expose people to each other, cases could really increase,” added Begg.

Another concern was experts were realising the asymptomatic spread of the disease had been higher than initially thought – the lockdown helped to minimise this, she said.

There were other ways to minimise gathering outside of a full-blown lockdown, Begg added, including deferring the opening of schools and universities, limiting the number of people allowed to gather to much lower than 100, and continuing to encourage hand washing and other hygiene practices.

The government could also consider other options relating to densely populated areas, such as restricting movement to not just the home, but a smaller area or block, which would still limit the spread of the disease.

“We know from other pandemics that any restriction of movement helps … while it is difficult, restricting movement is the most effective way to limit the spread of the disease.”