Your morning news update: Click on the links below for the full story or visit our home page for the latest news.
As of Monday, 25 January 2021, the cumulative number of detected Covid-19 cases is 1,417,537 with 4,551 new cases identified, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has confirmed.
243 more Covid-19 related deaths were reported. This brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 41,117.
Recoveries now stand at 1,241,421 representing a recovery rate of 87,6%.
Mpumalanga premier, Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane has apologised for not complying with the lockdown and state of disaster regulations after she was captured on national TV not wearing a mask in public during the funeral of the late minister Jackson Mthembu on Sunday.
Mtsweni-Tsipane signed an admission of guilt at the Vosman police station in Emalahleni on Monday and accepted a fine for failing to wear a mask, which can be up to R1,500 according to the Disaster Management Act.
The chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo returned to his post on Monday, 25 January, to hear damning allegations of how Jacob Zuma illegally benefitted from the country’s spy agency’s secret fund, and also used it to influence media houses to polish his image.
South Africa is still on course to receive the first batch of Covid-10 vaccines by the end of January, Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize says.
This comes after Mkhize announced in the first week of January that South Africa will receive one million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine from the Serum Institute of India.
Between 3 May 2020 and 16 January 2021, the number of excess deaths in South Africa was more than 106,000. This is the estimate of the latest weekly Medical Research Council (MRC) mortality report. These excess deaths are, either directly or indirectly, due to the Covid-19 epidemic.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) on Monday warned of more persistent rains for Gauteng this week, as Tropical storm Eloise continues to cause havoc in parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
SAWS forecaster, Wayne Venter, on Monday told The Citizen that Gauteng residents could expect more cloudy and windy conditions with scattered showers throughout the day on Monday.
One South Africa (OSA) leader Mmusi Maimane has announced that the movement will be participating in the coming local government elections but with independent candidates.
Maimane stressed that the OSA was not a political party but a movement committed to making a change.
The demand for garlic and ginger has shot up amid claims that they can help with Covid-19 symptoms.
The increase in demand has also seen an astronomical growth in the prices of the two food products, a rise in prices which the Competition Commission will now investigate.
The acting KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) MEC for Transport, Community Safety, and Liaison, Kwazi Mshengu has said law enforcement agencies in the province are on high alert amid reports of a looming truck protest.
Mshengu said that police have developed a comprehensive tactical enforcement plan targeting key hotspot areas.
The National Liquor Traders Council (NLTC) has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to immediately lift the ban on alcohol sales, over fears of a collapsing tavern sector and massive job loss if there’s no return to trading soon.
NLTC convenor Lucky Ntimane said that the continued ban on alcohol sales was pushing traders closer to poverty and over 250,000 workers were at risk of losing their jobs if the ban was not lifted.
Santam announced on morning Monday that it would now settle valid claims for all commercial policies with contingent business interruption (CBI) extensions, in addition to those covered by its hospitality and leisure division that it agreed to settle earlier in January, that had been specifically affected by court judgments.
Fans of SABC2 soapies 7de Laan and Muvhango will be sad to hear that their favourite soapies will be airing less frequently.
This comes after rumours that the shows may be cancelled altogether.
The channel has justified this by explaining that it will be looking to diversify its drama offering.
Coach Mark Boucher said on Monday that he is on a crusade to change the mindset of South African cricket which is why the Proteas could well field three frontline spinners – Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi and George Linde – in the first Test against Pakistan on Tuesday.
With Pakistan understandably going the dry and slow route in terms of the Karachi pitch, South Africa playing two spinners might have surprised a few people.
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.