Daily news update: Covid-19 update, Norma Gigaba out on bail, FNB wants to take your cards

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Daily Covid-19 update: SA breaches 500,000 case mark, deaths at 8,153

EFF in Gauteng demands lifestyle audits for all those involved in PPE procurement

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Gauteng has demanded that lifestyle audits be conducted for all those involved in the procurement of PPE’s during this Covid-19 period.

In a statement released on Saturday, the party noted the decision by the ANC to place the MEC for Health in the province, Dr Bandile Masuku and his wife Loyiso Masuku, an MMC in the City of Johannesburg, on leave of absence.

This as investigations continue into the irregular awarding of PPE contracts in the province.

Norma Gigaba released on R5K bail

Norma Gigaba. Photo: Instagram

Norma Gigaba, the wife of politician Malusi Gigba was released on bail on Saturday, 1 August 2020.

After spending a night in jail, she was released from the holding cells of Brooklyn police station in Pretoria.

Norma was arrested on Friday evening on charges for assault and damage to property after she allegedly keyed a Mercedes G-Wagon believed to belong to her husband. It was written cheater on it.

Basic education dept releases amended 2020 school calendar, it wont carry into 2021

After President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address over a week ago that public schools will be closed for a month with exception to Grade 12’s and Grade 7 learners, the basic education department has released the amended school calendar.

Grade 12 pupils and teachers would only take a week-long break and return on 3 August, and Grade 7 pupils would take a two-week break and return on 10 August.

All learners, teachers and other school staff resume with classes on 24 August and the school year will be completed by 15 December for Grades R to 11.

FNB wants you to ditch your physical cards

Picture for illustration purposes. Picture: iStock

FNB will roll out virtual card functionality to its entire customer base across credit cards, debit cards, fusion cards and business debit cards by October – before the peak annual shopping season, which starts with Black Friday in November.

An internal pilot has been followed by a launch to all FirstRand staff on Tuesday. The bank will be among the first to roll out these virtual Visa cards to clients in South Africa, but a number of other banks and fintech startups globally already issue digital cards.

FNB customers can create as many of these virtual cards in the FNB app as they like. These cards, linked to their existing accounts, do not attract any additional charges. Customers will be able to block, cancel or replace cards from within the app.

WATCH: Ami Faku opens up about being successful and living her dream

Ami Faku. Picture: Supplied

Ami Faku’s golden voice has taken over local airwaves and it seems that everything she touches turns to platinum.

The talented artist from the Eastern Cape shot to fame as a contestant on The Voice SA.

Her hit single “Into Ingawe” has gone double platinum, and amassed over 6.5 million streams and downloads.

Wayde van Niekerk sidelined again after Covid-19 scare

While he displayed good form on the domestic circuit earlier this year, after recovering from a knee injury, Wayde van Niekerk will have to wait before he returns to the international circuit. Picture: Roger Sedres/Gallo Images

Olympic champion Wayde van Niekerk’s latest comeback was halted on Saturday after health and safety officials blocked his entry to a track and field meeting in Italy due to a coronavirus scare.

The 28-year-old sprinter had tested positive for Covid-19 earlier in the week, though he had shown no symptoms, and tests on everyone else at a South African training camp in Gemona had returned negative results for the respiratory disease.

“Wayde has trained well the whole week,” said athlete manager Peet van Zyl, who had organised the camp at Van Niekerk’s regular European base.

Hamilton grabs pole position for British Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton powered to a 91st career pole at Silverstone. POOL/AFP/Frank Augstein

Hamilton, who on Sunday seeks a record-increasing seventh Silverstone victory, finished ahead of his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas by more than three-tenths of a second after the Finn had been fastest in final practice and then again in both Q2 and Q3 when he also set lap records.

The defending six-time champion and current series leader bounced back from a ragged performance, including a spin, in the first parts of qualifying to claim his 65th pole with Mercedes and the record-increasing 91st of his career.

It was also a record eighth successive Mercedes pole success in Britain on a day when they were clear of their nearest rivals Red Bull by a full second, Max Verstappen taking third place on the grid ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

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