SAA business rescue plan might not be adequate, govt says

South Africa's government said it was concerned that a business rescue plan for troubled national carrier South African Airways published late on Tuesday might not be adequate. The government... 

Covid-19 patients can only return to work after 14-day isolation, medical exam – Govt

South Africa's employment and labour department on Thursday stressed that workers who had been diagnosed with Covid-19 could only return to their jobs after completing 14 days of self-isolation and... 

Cape Town dam levels dip to 54.6% of capacity

Water levels at dams supplying the Cape Town metropolitan area have decreased by 0.5 percent over the past week to  54.6 percent of total capacity, the city council said on Tuesday. In a statement,... 

Pupils will now return to school on June 8, says basic education department

Pupils will only return to school on June 8, the basic education department said on Sunday night. The Council of Education Ministers (CEM) met on Saturday to assess the state of readiness for... 

PRASA not ready to resume commuter operations under Covid-19 level 3, says Mbalula

While the Gautrain will resume its OR Tambo International Airport service when the coronavirus (Covid-19) level 3 regulations come into effect on June 1, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa... 

Phased reopening of air travel to start with main airports under Covid-19 regulations and directives

Commercial aircraft movement, subject to the coronavirus (Covid-19) level 3 lockdown regulations as of June 1, will start with OR Tambo International Airport, Cape Town International, King Shaka... 

SA's economic reopening while Covid-19 numbers rise is unique – Mkhize

South Africa found itself in the unique position of lifting lockdown restrictions as the national number of Covid-19 infections surged, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize told the National Council of... 

SA schools make progress in getting ready to reopen on June 1 - education department

South African schools are making progress in preparations to reopen on June 1 after shutting down due to the Covid-19 outbreak, although some have not yet received their safety material, the... 

Engineers at SA's North West University develop kit to help schools screen for Covid-19

Engineers at South Africa's North West University have developed a testing kit they hope will help resolve the congestion likely to occur during screening for Covid-19 when schools resume classes... 

Gordhan and SAA business rescue practitioners trade barbs over rescue plan

 MPs on Friday heard from South African Airways's business rescue practitioners that a lack of funding severely hampered their work, while Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan questioned... 

Too little, too late says small business chamber on Ramaphosa's speech

The National Small Business Chamber said on Thursday that president Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement that the country could move from a level 4 to level 3 Covid-19 lockdown by the end of May had come... 

South African trade conditions slump in April due to Covid-19 lockdown

Trading conditions in South Africa were badly affected during April by a lockdown aimed at limiting Covid-19 transmissions, with an index that tracks activity declining 11 points, a leading... 

Mkhize salutes nurses who died of Covid-19 in International Nurses Day speech

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Tuesday dedicated this year’s International Nurses Day to the health practitioners who died in the ongoing arduous battle against the novel coronavirus.  “As a... 

SAA failing to pay tax deducted from staff salaries to Sars

South African Airways has not paid over the income tax the company deducted from its employees to the South African Revenue Service and is therefore in breach of the bailout conditions imposed on... 

South African universities isolate SA’s first novel coronavirus lab culture

Collaborative efforts by the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and Stellenbosch University (SU) have yielded South Africa's first isolated novel coronavirus culture.  Dr Tasnim Suliman from UWC... 

Dangote Cement supports Cameroon's fight against Covid-19

Nigerian cement-manufacturing company Dangote has handed over personal protection equipment (PPE) kits worth 100-million CFA francs to Cameroon’s ministry of public health to support health-care... 

WHO lists three criteria before schools are reopened

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday, called on decision makers to reflect on a number of key factors when deciding on whether and how to reopen schools. "First, a clear understanding... 

SA statistics agency to collect labour data telephonically due to Covid-19

Statistics South Africa said on Thursday it would collect second quarter data for its labour force survey over the phone, due to restrictions on face-to-face collections imposed by a nationwide... 

Air transport, tourism bodies appeal for urgent support to Africa's travel industry

Five international air transport and tourism bodies have launched an appeal to international financial institutions, country development partners and international donors to support Africa’s travel... 

Gordhan voices criticism of SAA business rescue effort

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan on Wednesday has told MPs every effort is being made to resolve the desperate situation surrounding South African Airways (SAA) and has suggested the... 

Eskom reports lost income of R2.5bn in April

Eskom's income has shrunk by about R2.5 billion in April as energy demand plummeted due to the country's national lockdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the power utility's CEO Andre de... 

Mboweni says he remains committed to 2019 blueprint for reform and growth

South Africa's finance minister Tito Mboweni on Tuesday told members of parliament he remained committed to the structural reforms mooted in a blueprint for economic growth released by the National... 

Mboweni calls for Covid-19 support for companies across race lines

Finance minister Tito Mboweni on Tuesday said companies affected by the Covid-19 crisis should receive support regardless of the race of their owners and hinted he was challenging minister of... 

SA takes joint first place in 2019 open budget survey

South Africa has once again come joint first with New Zealand in the 2019 Open Budget Index conducted by the International Budget Partnership through an Open Budget Survey. The win is in... 

S&P Global rating downgrade disappointing – SA government

South Africa's government said it was disappointed by S&P Global's decision to lower its long term foreign and local currency debt ratings further into non-investment grade to ‘BB-’ and ‘BB’... 

SA unions vow to work with government to save SAA, SA Express

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa and the South African Cabin Crew Association said they had had constructive discussions with the government on ensuring the continued existence of... 

SAA left with choice between wind-down or liquidation, say business rescue practitioners

The business rescue practitioners (BRPs) appointed to implement a rescue plan for national carrier South African Airways (SAA) have announced on Thursday that without further government funding... 

South Africa’s Covid-19 death toll rises to 65

The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in South Africa has increased to 65, according to figures released by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Wednesday.  “Today, we regrettably report seven... 

SA unions reject mass retrenchment proposals at national carrier SAA

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) and the South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) said they had rejected a retrenchment proposal from the business rescue practitioners... 

Lockdown: agricultural sector identified as essential service

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the African Union and international partners have joined hands in efforts to mitigate the consequences of the coronavirus lockdown on... 

ANC thanks China as South Africa receives donation of medical equipment

The African National Congress (ANC) on Tuesday welcomed the donation of “much-needed” medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) from the People’s Republic of China to help the South... 

Mboweni says he is talking to global finance institutions on SA funding needs

The National Treasury is talking to all international financial institutions as it explores ways of meeting South Africa's funding needs stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic, finance minister Tito... 

SARB cuts rates in latest response to Covid-19

South Africa's central bank on Tuesday cut interest rates by 100 basis points for the second time in three weeks, taking its key repo rate down to 4.25 percent in the latest move aimed at... 

Ramaphosa extends national lockdown till end of April, takes a pay cut

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday announced a two-week extension of South Africa's current national lockdown to slow the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak, warning that ending it too soon would... 

Stellenbosch University researcher makes sanitiser from stale bread

Researchers at Stellenbosch University say they have discovered how to make hand sanitiser using stale bread crumbs. An experiment conducted by SU food scientist Dr Stefan Hayward, using the... 

Ramaphosa says screening for Covid-19 to be rolled out at 'huge scale'

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is hopeful the country will overcome the coronavirus outbreak despite the country recording its third Covid-19 death and confirmed cases increasing to 1,326.... 

SA Treasury introduces tax subsidies among measures to mitigate impact of Covid-19

South Africa's Treasury announced a tax subsidy for some employers, among measures to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy. In a statement on Sunday, the Treasury said the... 

Train services suspended for duration of lockdown - Mbalula

All commuter rail services will shut down for the duration of South Africa's national lockdown, transport minister Fikile Mbalula said on Wednesday. "All long-distance passenger rail services, both... 

SA manufacturing sector has small window to safeguard itself against Covid-19

While the containment of the coronavirus (Covid-19) remains the biggest priority of governments and health organisations, its effects on businesses are starting to take their toll, a South African... 

SAA to suspend all domestic flights from Friday as SA goes into lockdown

National carrier South African Airways said it would suspend all its domestic flights from Friday until April 16 in compliance with a 21-day government lockdown announced by President   to curb the...