First Take SA

Some healthcare workers who are at the forefront of combating COVID-19 say they are fearful of contracting the virus, while others say they have decided to isolate themselves from their families. South Africa currently has more than 900 confirmed corona virus cases. The national lockdown, announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa commenced at midnight LAST NIGHT. Healthcare workers who will continue...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged members of the South African National Defence Force to serve the nation with great respect and humility during the 21 day nation-wide lockdown which began last night. He was speaking at the official deployment ceremony of soldiers at the Doornkop army base in Soweto last night. These SANDF members were called in to support the police to help stop the spread of t...

Traditional healer and author, Credo Mutwa has been hailed as a doyen of African culture and traditions. This follows Mutwa's death in Kuruman after a short illness. The Sanusi predicted many historic events, including the 1976 Soweto student uprising and the demise of apartheid architect, Hendrik Verwoerd.

The fear of contracting the Coronavirus is very real and people in the Mthatha area in the Eastern Cape say they have no option but to heed the president's call for a 21-day lockdown. Villagers at KwaTshemese village believe remaining indoors is the only solution to contain the spread of the virus.

To preserve the indigenous knowledge that the future generation will benefit from , the National Lotteries Commission funded the Credo Mutwa Museum and Library in 2019. Credo Mutwa was a prominent and respected resident of Mahikeng. His cultural home at Lotlamoreng Dam fell into disrepair, when he left, following his expulsion by the then Bophuthatswana President Kgosi Lucas Mangope. He was expell...

So it's going to be a Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games rather than a Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The Olympics have been postponed to no later than the summer of 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced YESTERDAY.Tokyo had completed preparations when the virus started spreading across the world. Despite insisting for months the Games wou...

The Ministry of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi has assured workers that regardless of the hours worked, they are entitled to receive the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefits if their employer has been compliant. The Minister says the basic conditions of employment rights have been activated for workers to seek annual leave. Nxesi was addressing an inter-ministerial committee briefing re...

South Africans say the national lockdown announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa last night is a responsible step to help minimise the spread of the Coronavirus in the country. But for many, the challenge is how to spend 21 days at home. Some are buying board games to play with their children, while others plan to relax in front of the television.

Different political parties have welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa's new stringent measures aimed at preventing the spread of Coronavirus. Most political parties have urged the nation say although inconveniencing, the new measures are meant to save lives.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a national lockdown for 21 days under the Disaster Management Act. This follows a meeting with the National Command Council to assess the efficacy of the measures put into place on Sunday last week. The lockdown will run from midnight on Thursday 21 March up until 16 April and will see all citizens required to stay home with the exception of various professi...

Aid organisation Gift of the Givers will this week start operating a Coronavirus testing facility in Northgate, Johannesburg. This will be among three of the organisation's facilities in Gauteng that will provide testing at a subsidised rate. South Africa currently has 274 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 infections, an increase of 34 since Saturday.

The number of confirmed Coronavirus cases in South Africa has risen to 274. The Health Ministry released the latest figures last night shortly after the Presidency announced that President Cyril Ramaphosa's expected address to the nation on the pandemic had been postponed to today. President Ramaphosa was locked in meetings till late yesterday engaging with business leaders, heads of political par...

South Africans waited with bated breath last night as President Cyril Ramaphosa was expected to address the nation following his meeting with the National Command Council on the Coronavirus situation in the country. However, Ramaphosa's planned announcement of further measures to tackle the virus, was postponed to today.

The civic group Unemployed People's Movement has expressed concern about the health of residents of Makana Municipality during the outbreak of the Corona Virus. Members of the UPM occupied the council chambers of the municipality demanding answers. The residents say they have been without water and are concerned they won't be able to practice safety measures to prevent themselves from contacting t...

The National Council of Provinces, with the exception of the Western Cape has adopted a report by the Gauteng department of COGTA to dissolve Tshwane Metro Council, under section 139: 1 C of the constitution. The NCOP has spent the past few days in Gauteng, deliberating on a number of issues, including the challenges that have emerged from Tshwane.

Government says it aims to establish quarantine zones in every region of the country. The department of public works together with relevant municipalities have the task of identifying areas where people infected with the Covid 19 virus will be treated. This was announced during a briefing of several cabinet ministers aimed at clarifying the regulations gazetted to give effect to the national state...

The Gauteng government has warned that it will take drastic steps to deal with those who do not comply with government's directive of keeping crowds to below one hundred. It has called on citizens to co-operate as it tries to contain COVID19 in the province. The province has established a team to deal with corona virus. It believes the drastic measures taken by the country and the province will yi...

President Cyril Ramaphosa has made an undertaking that government will communicate regularly and transparently regarding government efforts to combat the Corona virus. Ramaphosa had a meeting with the 14 leaders of opposition parties in Parliament to discuss matters around this issue. The number of confirmed cases now stands at 116.

The South African Zionist Churches have reiterated that hundreds of thousands of their members will gather this upcoming Easter Holidays to worship and celebrate God. This despite government's ban on gatherings which include more than a hundred people amid the corona virus pandemic. The Saint Engenas ZCC has however announced that it has postponed its annual Easter pilgrimage in support of efforts...

All eyes are on the South African Reserve Bank TODAY as governor Lesetja Kganyago is expected to announce further cuts in the interest rate and possibly announce new measures to cushion the economy amid the covid-19 pandemic. Threats to the slow-growing economy have also been hampered by the weakening South African rand against world currencies. Opposition parties such as the DA have meanwhile cal...

Behavioural experts are warning against panic bulk buying as thousands took to retail stores yesterday to stock-pile on basic necessities. This as the Corona virus pandemic tightens its grip on many South Africans lives across the country. Shoppers could be seen on many social media platforms stocking up on goods such as hand-sanitizers, toilet paper and non-perishable goods. Experts however warn...

Power utility-ESKOM says municipalities who fail to settle their electricity debts will have their power cut off. Gauteng municipalities owe Eskom 2.6 billion Rand. The Vaal-based Emfuleni Local Municipality has agreed to pay Eskom 50-million Rand by yesterday, while the Merafong and RandWest municipalities are on the verge of an electricity debt crisis with a combined 732-million rand debt. Gaute...

Sport betting has suffered severely in South Africa following the spread of the Coronavirus in the country. With just over sixty positive cases reported in South Africa, this has forced various federations to suspend or cancel their events. Cricket South Africa has suspended all forms of cricket across the board for the net sixty days, while Athletics South Africa and Swimming South Africa have do...

Retailers are running out of stock as consumers rush to buy essentials. As the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in South Africa continues to rise, store shelves are running empty as scores of people rush to buy supplies in bulk. The number of confirmed cases in the country now stands at 62 with two possible cases of local transmission being investigated. In Woodmead, north of Johannesb...

All ANC conferences including the national general council (NGC) have been postponed. The party says this is as the result of the impact of stringent measures introduced by government to combat the spread of the virus in the country. Atleast about 3000 party members were expected to convene for the NGC in June to review progress in implementing the party's policies