Daily news update: SA moves to level 1 and Dr Tumi and wife cleared on fraud charges

Alcohol restrictions lifted as Ramaphosa moves the country to level 1

President Cyril Ramaphosa has moved the country to adjusted lockdown level 1 following meetings with the National Coronavirus Command Council, the President’s Coordinating Council and Cabinet.

These are the changes Ramaphosa has implemented effective from 12 midnight:

• Curfew will change from 12am to 4am
• The number of people allowed to gather indoors has increased from 250 to 750, while outdoor gatherings have been increased from 500 to 5,000.
• Funerals will now allow 100 people, while night vigils and after-tears are still not allowed.
• The sale of alcohol for offsite and onsite consumption will be permitted, however, no alcohol sale will be allowed after 11pm.

Dr Tumi and wife cleared on fraud charges

Doctor and gospel singer Tumisang Makweya (popularly known as Dr Tumi) and his wife, Kgaogelo Makweya, have been cleared of the fraud charges they were facing. 

Sowetan reports that the charges were withdrawn on Thursday after recent proceedings at the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sitting in the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court.

This after Dr Tumi and Kgaogelo submitted representations to the state on why they should not be prosecuted for allegedly defrauding the National Lotteries Commission of more than R1.5m.

Appletiser recalls products due to toxins found

Appletiser has done a voluntary product recall after routine quality testing found several of their batches were outside “acceptable standards”.

Last week, the sparkling juice brand released a statement expressing their main concern as the “wellbeing” of consumers.

“The health and wellbeing of our consumers is our primary concern and we have taken a decision to withdraw all affected stock from the market nationwide, with immediate effect,” Appletiser said.

The National Consumer Commission has urged consumers who have brought Appletiser products recently to check the expiry dates.

Deaths increase as Helen Joseph Hospital battles overcrowding, vacancies

Gauteng health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi has revealed that Helen Joseph Hospital is cracking under severe strain.

With 148 vacancies, the hospital’s staffing problems and lack of space have severely compromised hospital care.

Deaths and adverse events have increased at the hospital’s emergency department as they battle with a flood of extra patients who have spilled over from the fire-damaged Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.

Mpumalanga ANCYL threatens to make province ungovernable over ‘corrupt eldership’

In an angry statement on Thursday, the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in Mpumalanga said they were “dumbfounded” by the final list their party’s leaders had submitted to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and accused the ANC of committing “treason” and being corrupt.

Spokesperson Zwelo Masilela said the ANCYL in Mpumalanga had convened an urgent provincial working committee meeting to discuss the “bogus lists” submitted by the ANC to the IEC.