Business

5 important things happening in South Africa today

Staff Writer

 ·9 Apr 2021

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

Coronavirus: Global Covid-19 infections have hit 134.5 million confirmed, with the death toll reaching 2.91 million. In South Africa, there have been 1,366 new cases, taking the total reported to 1,554,975. Deaths have reached 53,173 (a daily increase of 62), while recoveries have climbed to 1,480,632, leaving the country with a balance of 21,170 active cases. The total number of vaccines administered is 283,629.

• Vaccines: Health minister Zweli Mkhize says that the second phase of South Africa’s vaccine rollout will start on 17 May – though details on the logistics are scarce. The minister said that government will have to split up the different types of vaccines based on the populations, with two-dose vaccines better suited for populations that are easily traceable – to ensure that the second dose is effectively delivered – while single dose vaccines should be used on more mobile populations. Mkhize admitted that vaccinations were not progressing as planned, hit with delays – but said that the fact that everyone knows this, is a testament to government’s transparency with the process. [Daily Maverick]

• Plan B: Eskom says that it has launched a procurement process to find new software providers, as it moves away from US giant, Oracle. The group says that its legal issues with Oracle will not lead to blackouts, and assured South Africans that contingency plans are in place. Oracle claims Eskom has underpaid it by R7.3 billion for contracts. Eskom offered to pay the company R166 million as part of a settlement, which was rejected. Many of Oracle’s services are core to Eskom’s operations. Its software is used, among other things, to support plant maintenance, billing and accounts, and electricity distribution. [BusinessLive]

• Safe travels: Government recommends that South African airlines begin using the International Air Transport Association mobile travel pass, to keep track of Covid-19 status and certify travellers for safe travel. Many international airlines are testing the use of the pass, while some countries, like Singapore, are adopting its use as a key to easier travel. The mobile app has a global registry of the various testing conditions around the world, and allows registered labs and testing centres to securely share Covid-19 test results with passengers and authorities. The pass was given a voice of support from transport minister Fikile Mbalula. [EWN]

• Please Call Me: The decade-long legal battle over the Please Call Me invention between Vodacom and Nkosana Makate will head to a court review in May. The courts sided with Makate in the battle, who argued that he was the inventor of the service and was told he would be compensated for the invention by a manager. Vodacom offered Makate R47 million in compensation for the invention – however, this has been rejected, with the former Vodacom employee seeking over R10 billion. Vodacom has rejected this, saying that the R47 million was already ‘overly generous’. [Fin24]

• Markets: The rand remained range bound this week, as it awaits a new catalyst to provide direction, following the recent risk rally. Chinese PPI outperformed expectations year-on-year, while we now await US PPI later this afternoon as well as the BOE quarterly bulletin due today. There is little new by way of market drivers as we head into the weekend, and we start the day at R14.54/$, R17.31/€ and R19.97/£. [Citadel Global]