We’ve got the best of the weekend stories, and the latest major headlines on Monday 15 June. As per usual, it’s a busy start to the week, but this is the best place to kick things off.
TODAY’S LATEST NEWS IN SOUTH AFRICA, MONDAY 15 JUNE
Official coronavirus death tolls and new infections on 15 June
The cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is 70 038, total number of deaths is 1 480 and recoveries to date are 38 531. Deaths have gone up by 57, with 42 of those registered in the Western Cape, 10 in KZN and a further five fatalities in the Eastern Cape. Another 4 302 cases have been discovered in the most recent 24-hour period, too.
LEVEL 3 REGULATIONS – WHAT IS LIKELY TO CHANGE THIS WEEK?
Minister Jackson Mthembu has noted the elements which are up further discussion on Wednesday. Level 3 is expected to last a little longer than the previous stages of lockdown, but in a bid to continue unlocking the economy, the government is looking at possible ways to open up several industries while keeping people safe. There may even be some light relief for smokers, too…
- The tobacco ban is up for discussion, according to Mthembu – but reiterated there will be no return for the alcohol ban.
- Sit-in options at restaurants are, quite literally, on the table.
- The opening of hotels and B&Bs is under consideration for the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC)
- The issue of bringing in ‘tighter rules’ for hot-spots, without knocking them down a level, is on the agenda.
- The scientists advising the government will also update officials about how relaxed regulations have impacted health services.
Another GBV murder reported in Pretoria
The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Gauteng on Sunday launched a manhunt for the killer of a 42-year-old woman whose body has been found in an outside room in Eersterust, east of Pretoria, provincial SAPS spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele said:
“Preliminary investigations revealed that this morning [Sunday] the [victim’s] boyfriend asked for transport money from a family member, alleging that he had got a new job somewhere since he was unemployed,â€
“Detectives are appealing to Mr Clayton Andrews to urgently contact the local police station and assist in the investigation, since he is the one who happened to be the last person to be in contact with the deceased when she was still alive.â€
SAPS statement
Food parcel delivery scheduled in Gauteng
Deputy Minister of Social Development Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, in partnership with the Gauteng department of social development, Majaneng traditional leadership, Old Mutual, and Kagisano will distribute food parcels to 300 child-headed households in Majaneng Village and Marokolong Village in Hammanskraal.
Bheki Cele shoots from the lip – and hits himself in the foot
Bheki Cele is never more than an anecdote or two away from causing a public outcry. He seems to have done it again this week, following comments he made about the ANC’s anti-police brutality campaign – and it looks like the Police Minister is heading for a showdown with the party’s top brass.
Rather than getting behind the message to stamp-out heavy-handed policing, he ended up launching a defence of it. The tone-deaf response, which was delivered during an online talk before the weekend, suggested that an anti-police brutality campaign ‘could encourage criminality’.
After stewing on these comments for a few days, the ANC has responded. Duarte revealed on Sunday that his opposition to the campaign was now an ‘internal matter’. A meeting between Bheki Cele and senior figures within the party has been arranged to discuss this public disagreement.
Police officers dying from COVID-19
Police Minister Bheki Cele says over a dozen law enforcement officers have died from complications related to COVID-19 since the first case was reported in South Africa back in March. With law enforcement at the forefront of the fight against the spread of the pandemic, over a thousand officers have been infected with 14 succumbing to the virus, according to Cele.
A diesel shortage threatens South Africa
The shadow energy minister has issued yet another stark warning about the severity of the fuel and diesel shortage currently affecting South Africa. Numerous wholesalers in both Gauteng – and the inland regions of South Africa – are likely to suffer from the shortage. According to the DA’s Kevin Mileham, here’s who is in for a rough ride:
- Gauteng is amongst the worst hit, with numerous wholesalers and retailers reportedly “dryâ€.
- This situation has been exacerbated by the theft of parts of the multi-product pipeline from Durban to Gauteng.
- It’s estimated that it will still take “at least a week†for diesel to reach inland markets, leaving some wholesalers in places like Free State and North West on the brink.
LATEST WEATHER FORECAST, MONDAY 15 JUNE
Take a look at weather forecasts for all nine provinces here.
LIVE TRAFFIC UPDATES FOR CAPE TOWN, JOHANNESBURG AND DURBAN
Stay one step ahead of the traffic by viewing our live traffic updates here.
HOROSCOPE TODAY
Free daily horoscope, celeb gossip and lucky numbers for Monday 15 June.
