Daily news update: Covid-19 stats, SA upgraded to Level 2, Cele visits Mthwalume

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Daily Covid-19 update: SA recovery rate now stands at 80%

As of Saturday, 15 August, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases which currently stands at 583,653 with 4,513 new cases being identified in the process, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize confirmed.

A further 121 new Covid-19 related deaths were reported which includes 5 from Eastern Cape, 21 from Gauteng, 34 from KwaZulu-Natal, 18 from Limpopo, 17 from Free State and 26 from Western Cape.

“This brings the total Covid-19 related cumulative deaths to 11,677.

“We convey our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers who treated the deceased,” he added.

He further said the total number of tests conducted to date stood at 3,378,029 with 26,918 new tests conducted since the last report.

“The recoveries now stand at 466,941 which translates to a recovery rate of 80%,” he said.

Level 2 relief allows sale of booze and smokes

Packers load purchased alcohol into a customer’s vehicle, 1 June 2020, at the Makro Liquor Store, Strubensvalley, in Roodepoort, on the first day South Africa moved to Level 3 lockdown as part of its efforts to curb the coronavirus pandemic. Picture: Michel Bega

While addressing the nation on Saturday, 15 August, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that South Africa would move Alert Level 2 on Tuesday, 18 August after consultations with the the national coronavirus command council (NCCC) and Cabinet.

“The move to level 2 means that we can remove nearly all of the restrictions on the resumption of economic activity across most industries,” he said.

The President confirmed the suspension of the sale of alcohol and tobacco will be lifted subject to certain restrictions.

“Restaurants, bars and taverns will be permitted to operate according to approved protocols as to times of operation and numbers of people.

“Alcohol will be permitted for on-site consumption in licensed establishments only up until 10pm. Restrictions on the sale of tobacco will also be lifted,” he said.

Ramaphosa, however, noted that liquor outlets will be allowed to sell alcohol for off-site consumption from Monday to Thursday during the hours of 9am to 5pm only.

The President said gyms and fitness centres will be permitted to reopen under appropriate restrictions and safety precautions to protect public health.

‘We can’t just accept women getting killed’ – Cele on Mthwalume murders

South African Minister of Police, Bheki Cele briefs media about lockdown regulations, 11 June 2020. Picture GCIS

Police Minister Bheki Cele is happy with progress into the murders of five women in the Mthwalume area on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.

“We couldn’t just sit by and accept that women are getting murdered. I am satisfied that this team has already brought in two people of interest, who they believe have a case to answer to,” Cele said in a statement on Saturday.

Cele said he believed that investigators had “covered much ground”.

The bodies of five women – aged between 16 and 36 – were found on a sugarcane farm between April and August 2020.

Two of the bodies were found this past week. The gruesome discoveries led to “investigative interventions on a national level”, according to Cele’s statement.

He said the national head of crime intelligence and detectives, along with the national head of the family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit, joined forces with provincial investigators to look into the case.

Gauteng govt to release list of PPE contractors ‘to promote transparency’

Gauteng Premier David Makhura. Image: Twitter / @GautengProvince

The Gauteng provincial government will publish a list of contractors it used for Covid-19 procurement in an effort to promote transparency, it said on Saturday.

In a statement released by spokesperson Thabo Masebe, the Gauteng government said it is publishing a list of companies that have been contracted to provide goods and services since April.

The first list contains names of companies contracted for the provincial government’s Covid-19 response.

“The Gauteng Treasury is today publishing the first Covid-19 expenditure report, covering the period April to July 2020.

“The report includes full details of the companies that are awarded contracts, description and value of goods and services to be supplied and amounts paid to each supplier,” he said.

Masebe said Gauteng Treasury would publish the list monthly.

“As committed by Premier David Makhura, going forward, Gauteng Treasury will publish the names of all companies contracted to provide goods and services for the entire provincial government monthly.”

Russia produces first batch of coronavirus vaccine

The Kremlin this week began easing a national lockdown to slow the spread of the virus, despite the steady rise in infections; President Vladimir Putin is pictured in Novo-Ogaryovo outside Moscow. SPUTNIK/AFP/Alexey NIKOLSKY

Putin’s announcement on Tuesday about the vaccine was met with caution from scientists and the World Health Organization who said it still needed a rigorous safety review.

“The first batch of the novel coronavirus vaccine developed by the Gamaleya research institute has been produced,” the health ministry said in a statement quoted by Russian news agencies.

Putin said the vaccine was safe and that one of his own daughters had been inoculated, though clinical trials were not yet complete and final stage testing involving more than 2,000 people only started this week.

Western scientists were sceptical, with some warning that moving too quickly on a vaccine could be dangerous, but Russia denounced criticism as an attempt to undermine Moscow’s research.

The Russian vaccine is called “Sputnik V” after the Soviet-era satellite that was the first launched into space in 1957.

It was developed by the Gamaleya research institute for epidemiology and microbiology in Moscow in coordination with the Russian defence ministry.

The head of the institute, Alexander Gintsburg, told the TASS state news agency on Saturday that volunteers taking part in the final stage testing of the vaccine’s safety and efficacy would have two inoculations.

Russia has said that industrial production is expected from September and that it plans to manufacture 5 million doses per month by December or January.

Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said this week that the vaccine would first be made available to medics and would later be available to all Russians on a voluntary basis.

Middendorp compliments old guard for great win against Polokwane City

Kaizer Chiefs celebrating goal during the Absa Premiership 2019/20 match between Polokwane City and Kaizer Chiefs at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium (Lee Warren Gallo images/BackpagePix)

With his side losing 1-0 at half time, Middendorp introduced the experienced trio of Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Willard Katsande and Bernard Parker. The trio didn’t make an immediate impact as Amakhosi went on to concede a second goal that seems to have sealed the game for Rise and Shine.

But a resilient Chiefs side launched what is easily the most dramatic comeback so far this season and ended up winning the Absa Premiership match 3-2 to stretch their lead to six points.

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