Government

5 important things happening in South Africa today

Staff Writer

 ·2 Jul 2021

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

Coronavirus: In South Africa, there have been 21.584 new cases of Covid-19, taking the total reported to 1,995,556. Deaths have reached 61,029 (+382), while recoveries have climbed to 1,754,793, leaving the country with a balance of 179,734 active cases. The total number of vaccines administered is 3,155,717 (+129,081).

• Delta variant: As Covid-19 cases continue to surge in South Africa, the Western Cape has flagged the delta variant among its population, warning that a spike similar to what is happening in Gauteng may soon happen there. The Delta variant is driving cases in Gauteng and much of South Africa at the moment, though other provinces have so far been spared the worst of it. Hospitals and doctors on the ground in Gauteng report the situation as being a disaster, with most healthcare workers worn out and anxious after a month of struggling. The Western Cape is now preparing its facilities to face a similar battle. [EWN, 702]

• Schooling: Education minister Angie Motshekga has reiterated her determination to have school kids back in classes by 26 July, saying that they simply cannot afford a sustained disruption to education and learning. She said that losing a month of teaching is like losing a finger, in that the children who have lost that time will always be moving forward with some kind of deficit. The sector is currently very unstable due to time already lost and inefficiencies tied to differentiated teaching times and alternating classes. The minister said that the department will be monitoring infections and will work on advice from the health department. [TimesLive]

• Invalid: Public protector Busiswe Mkhwebane has suffered yet another legal blow, this time with the country’s apex court ruling that she overstepped her mandate and was incorrect in both fact and law. The case related to Mkhwebane’s findings on president Cyril Ramaphosa’s campaign for the ANC presidency, and whether he misled parliament in responding to questions about donations to that campaign. However, the Constitutional Court ruled that Mkhwebane had no business investigating those things as they were outside her mandate. She also changed the wording in law to suit her own agenda. The ConCourt upheld previous rulings declaring the report invalid. [Daily Maverick]

• Gathering storm: Zuma supporters are gathering in Nkandla to ‘protect’ the disgraced former president from arrest, saying they will do so by any means necessary. Gunshots were fired during a procession to his residence, with supporters singing and dancing. Zuma has been ordered by the courts to turn himself over to the police to serve his 15-month sentence for being in contempt of court. He has until Sunday to do so. He has openly defied court orders and disengaged from judicial processes, effectively ignoring them. His supporters say he is being treated unfairly, and their stated aim is to prevent him from being arrested, even if he turns himself in. [BusinessLive].

• Markets: The rand fell in early trade on Thursday as concerns about new coronavirus infections and fresh lockdowns subdued investors’ appetite for risk. Markets were also on edge ahead of the release of US jobs data seen as crucial to the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook. Investors were concerned about the spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19 globally, which has led some countries to impose tighter curbs while others have extended restrictions. South Africa, the worst-hit country on the African continent in terms of recorded cases and deaths, tightened its restrictions on Sunday. On Friday the rand was at R14.48/$, R17.15/€ and R19.94/£. [Reuters]