Still no final word on Level 3 details, SANDF clears soldiers of lockdown killing, and cigarette ban defended in court papers
by Christi NortierOn Wednesday, the media briefing on lockdown Level 3 was once again postponed. However, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize clarified that the entire country will move to Level 3 on Monday 1 June. Meanwhile, ministers have been justifying the move to Level 3 and why tobacco products will not be sold. An inquiry by the SANDF into the death of Collins Khosa has argued that the soldiers did not cause his death.
!function(e,i,n,s){var t="InfogramEmbeds",d=e.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];if(window[t]&&window[t].initialized)window[t].process&&window[t].process();else if(!e.getElementById(n)){var o=e.createElement("script");o.async=1,o.id=n,o.src="https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed-loader-min.js",d.parentNode.insertBefore(o,d)}}(document,0,"infogram-async");
CLOSE
Covid-19 in South Africa
Infogram
Swipe through the gallery below to view the latest Covid-19 numbers available on 27 May at the district level. All maps are sourced from provincial health departments; however, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State did not provide updates by the time of publishing:
Display Adverts
The National Coronavirus Command Council media briefing on lockdown Level 3 regulations have been postponed once again, without a new date being provided at the time. Greg Nicolson writes that the delays are depriving the public of essential information days before the next phase is due to start.
Apparently, the delay was to allow time for the government to include regulations on the opening of places of worship under Level 3, according to Minister in the Presidency and Acting Communications Minister Jackson Mthembu. He added that the briefing would take place on Thursday at 2pm.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has clarified that the entire country, hotspots and all, will move to Level 3 from 1 June. A team of specialists will lead the response in the hotspots to scale up testing, tracing, isolation and quarantine. He made these announcements after a presentation he gave to the National Council of Provinces on Tuesday caused confusion as Greg Nicolson reports.
At that same briefing to the provinces, Mkhize said social distress, hunger, unemployment and the recession were all reasons for easing the lockdown even as the number of infections continues to climb. Co-operative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma echoed his reasoning during the same briefing. Marianne Merten talks through the intricacies of the presentation and who has the power to make certain decisions.
Display Adverts
Dlamini Zuma has submitted reasons for the ban on tobacco sales during the lockdown. They are in court papers submitted in response to the Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association’s challenge that the decision is unconstitutional. Dlamini Zuma’s papers stated that the government had considered scientific data, logic and the pressure on the healthcare system when it took the decision.
An inquiry by the South African Defence Force has found that the soldiers accused of killing Collins Khosa cannot be liable for his death. They argue there is no connection between the wounds they inflicted upon him and his death, so they did not cause his death. Its argument that the soldiers only “pushed and clapped” Khosa is in contradiction to the testimony of Khosa’s family who were at the scene. They say he was choked, beaten, pushed against a wall and hit with the butt of a machine gun. The police investigation into Khosa’s death continues.
The City of Cape Town has approved a revised budget for 2020/21 which includes service relief packages and a boost to the economy. R3-billion has been set aside for a rates and service relief package for indigent, disabled and pensioner residents. Karabo Mafolo reports that R900-million has been earmarked to boost the local economy.
In Port Elizabeth, 19 patients and 10 staff members at the Life Esidimeni Lorraine Frail Care Centre have tested positive for Covid-19. One patient has died while another has been admitted to Livingstone Hospital. As Estelle Ellis reports, very few family members of the patients were told about the outbreak. DM
Christi Nortier
Comments - share your knowledge and experience
Please note you must be a Maverick Insider to comment. Sign up here or sign in if you are already an Insider.