Government

5 important things happening in South Africa today

Staff Writer

 ·4 Dec 2020

Here’s what is happening in and affecting South Africa today:

Coronavirus: Global Covid-19 infections have hit 64.5 million confirmed, with the death toll reaching 1,495,400. In South Africa, there have been 4,400 new cases, taking the total reported to 800,872. Deaths have reached 21,803 (a daily increase of 94), while recoveries have climbed to 739,367, leaving the country with a balance of 39,702 active cases.

• More to come: With Nelson Mandela Bay declared a Covid-19 hotspot, and more restrictions put in place in the region, there are warnings that it may not be the only one, and more hotspots could be declared as infection numbers come in. President Cyril Ramaphosa spared the likes of the Garden Route in his address last night, but said that government would act decisively to deal with cluster outbreaks wherever they occur. [EWN]

• Vaccine: The Solidarity Fund has committed R327 million towards getting a Covid-19 vaccine for South Africans, participating in the World Health Organisation’s Global Vaccine Access Facility – known as the Covax facility. The programme aims to pool resources and share vaccine development risk and thus ensure equitable access to vaccines when they become available. Finance minister Mboweni said that South Africa has paid R500 million towards the programme, with a further R4.5 billion budgeted to get access to a vaccine once available. [ENCA]

• Step aside: As the ANC battles within over its own rules – calling for members who face criminal charges to step aside from their positions – lawyers are winning the day. Legal opinion over whether the party can in fact implement such a rule are divided, with half saying that the party should not enforce the rule, and the other half saying it is all clear to do so. Among the most high profile members under the spotlight over the rule is party secretary-general, Ace Magashule, who faces corruption charges, but refuses to step aside from the position. [TimesLive]

• State capture: Controversial former Eskom CEO Matshela Koko is confident that he will be cleared of any wrongdoing when the State Capture commission’s work is through. Koko has been accused by several witnesses and whistleblowers as being central to some corrupt activities at the power utility. He has been accused of giving a R1 billion contract to his daughter, and is part of a group of suspended employees that the SIU is suing to claw back R3.8 billion that was illegally diverted from the company. Koko maintains his innocence. [702]

• Markets: The world is betting against the dollar, as the euro rose to a 2.5 year high, leaving the greenback in its dust. The rand tracked the euro stronger, pushing past resistance levels, to trade at a fresh high for the week. US non-farm payrolls and unemployment figures are due today. We start the day at R15.17 to the dollar, R18.42 to the euro and R20.41 to the pound. Commentary by Peregrine Treasury Solutions. [XE]