Government

5 important things happening in South Africa today

Staff Writer

 ·15 Dec 2021

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

Coronavirus: In South Africa, there have been 23,884 new cases of Covid-19, taking the total reported to 3,204,642. Deaths have reached 90,172 (+24), while recoveries have climbed to 2,943,570, leaving the country with a balance of 170,900 active cases. The total number of vaccines administered is 27,304,475 (+115,869).

• Licence headaches: Motorists face more driving licence headaches, with the traffic department reporting a breakdown in the machine that produces the licence cards – causing further delays to those looking to get or renew their licences. The breakdowns could result in the Department of Transport having to once again extend the validity period of driving licences that expired during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. Both the AA and Outa indicated they believe a further extension to the validity of driving licences will be necessary. New cards have not been produced in the last three weeks. [Moneyweb]

• Superstition: As the Omicron variant spreads across South Africa, pushing infection numbers up rapidly, health officials have their work cut out for them convincing a vaccine-hesitant population to get the jab. Medical staff have a lot to contend with: aside from the accessibility issues in more remote areas and general misinformation being spread by bad actors, nurses and doctors also have to overcome superstitions and supernatural beliefs. While lies and misinformation about vaccines changing DNA or being part of a global mass experiment are fairly common, others believe that the vaccine will turn them into cannibals, zombies or kill their libido. [Daily Maverick]

• No jab, no job: Farmworkers in the Western Cape have lost their jobs for refusing to get vaccinated. The farmworkers were reportedly given several opportunities to get vaccinated in line with the farm’s vaccine mandate but refused. They were moved to a different farm to accommodate them, but they were subject to a no work, no pay policy due to a lack of available work. After three months of refusing vaccines, the workers were suspended and called into a hearing to determine their reasons for refusal. They were subsequently dismissed. They are now appealing to the Labour Department for protection and to get their jobs back. [ENCA]

• Zimbabwe: Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the department has not withdrawn its directive to end the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit – it has just withdrawn the circular explaining what banks should do with these individuals, which was incorrect and causing confusion. Motsoaeldi said that the directive not to renew temporary permits of around 200,000 Zimbabweans working in the country when their visas expire still stands. When the circular was withdrawn this week, the move was celebrated by human rights groups who said that forcing the Zimbabweans out of the country would have caused a humanitarian crisis. [702]

• Markets: The South African rand fell on Tuesday, weighed down by worries over the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines against the Omicron variant, ahead of a data-heavy Wednesday. A real-world study published by South African insurer Discovery showed Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine had been less effective at keeping people infected with the coronavirus out of hospital since the Omicron variant emerged last month. With several domestic data releases set for Wednesday, investors preferred not to take big risks. On Wednesday, the rand was at R16.08/$, R18.12/€ and R21.29/£. [Reuters]