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