South Africa: Today’s latest news and headlines, Monday 13 April

Stay informed and up to date with all the latest news in South Africa by checking our wrap of headlines on Monday 13 April.

The highest number of cases recorded in a single day since the lockdown came into effect on Friday 27 March, was recorded on a Easter Sunday. This follows a bleak Easter weekend marred by the death of an Alexandra man allegedly beaten by South African Defence Force (SANDF) members – a far cry from the “faith and fellowship” President Cyril Ramaphosa has mentioned in a Good Friday liturgy.

Today’s latest news in South Africa, Monday 13 April

Cases continue to rise across SA

The spike of 145 since Saturday 11 April, brought the latest number of COVID-19 cases in South Africa to 2 173 on Easter Sunday.

The death toll climbed to 25 on Saturday when a 61-year-old Western Cape man with underlying health conditions passed away. His death took the the provincial death toll to seven in total.

The breakdown of confirmed cases according to province are:

• Gauteng — 865;
• Western Cape — 587;
• KwaZulu Natal — 443;
• Free State — 96;
• Eastern Cape 88
• Limpopo — 23;
• Mpumalanga — 21;
• North West — 19;
• Northern Cape — 16; and
• Unallocated — 15.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) on 8 and 9 April conducted a mass screening of offenders and officials at the Medium C female section of the East London Correctional Centre after a warder tested positive for the virus on 8 April.

So far, 26 people — 23 officials and three inmates — at the facility has tested positive and a further 46 people are expected to undergo testing on Monday.

SA peak expected in September

Whether this should be interpreted as a dim light at the end of an extending tunnel, remains to be seen. But, according to Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, new data sets have shown that South Africa’s lockdown implementation will see the country’s coronavirus cases peak in September rather than in June or July, with the rise of positive cases set to stretch healthcare resources at a later stage.

Mkhize believes this delay could allow government more time to prepare for the worst and with a shortage in personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators and tests, let’s hope this “borrowed” time will be used to address these matters of grave concern.

Forum threatens court action over lockdown alcohol sales ban

The Gauteng Liquor Forum, which represents about 20 000 micro and small businesses in Gauteng, has written to the president demanding that the total ban on alcohol sales be lifted — or face a court challenge.

The letter reads: “Since the declaration of the national state of disaster on 15 March 2020, our clients’ businesses have been gravely affected by the prohibition on a total ban of selling of alcohol.

“The extension of the lockdown period…will most likely ruin their businesses. They do not have access to other means of surviving, while the lockdown continues.”

Cele condemns looting, burglaries of liquor stores

In relation to the controversial ban on alcohol sales, Police Minister Bheki Cele has condemned the burglary and looting of at least 16 liquor outlets in the Western Cape since the beginning of the nationwide lockdown.

Cele visited the province on Saturday and commended Western Cape provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Yolisa Matakata and her team, for the swift arrest of 21 suspects, four of whom were allegedly behind the first looting incident at a Shoprite Liquor Store in Langa, Cape Town, during the first weekend of the lockdown.

The minister also noted with concern the alleged involvement of police members in some of the liquor-related crimes during the lockdown.

This follows the arrest of two warrant officers from the Delft FCS Unit in the Western Cape. The officers were arrested along with a liquor store manager and a cashier in Strand on Thursday. The arrest follows a tip-off that saw police pounce on the suspects inside the store, buying liquor that was allegedly going to be resold illegally elsewhere.

Meanwhile in Mpumalanga, two members stationed at SAPS Pienaar were arrested on Friday night 10 April 2020 for defeating the ends of justice after the state vehicle they were driving was stopped and found to have been illegally escorting three bakkies, each loaded to capacity with liquor.

The three vehicles allegedly belong to a tavern owner who was also arrested with two other drivers for contravening the lockdown regulations in relation to the restriction on the movement of liquor. (Source: SANews)

Man allegedly beaten to death for single beer in fridge

Members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and SANDF has increasingly come under fire for their “skop, skiet and donner” approach to enforce lockdown regulations.

The allegations, lodged with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), include eight deaths and one rape so far.

The first death — that of 40-year-old Sibusiso Amos — occurred in Vosloorus when an Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) officer and private security official opened fire and killed Amos in his yard on 29 March. Four children were allegedly also severely injured.

In what is allegedly the latest incident of lockdown enforcement brutality, a 40-year-old man from Alexandra Township, north of Johannesburg, has died after he was allegedly assaulted by SANDF members on Saturday.

According to the deceased’s neighbour they were having a drink inside their yard when a soldier asked them why they were drinking and were not inside the house. The soldiers then apparently searched the man’s home and upon finding a beer in his fridge, he was forced into the street where he and his brother-in-law were allegedly beaten up. The man died later on the same day.

There have been reports of alleged brutality by some SANDF and SAPS members who have been deployed to enforce compliance to the national lockdown.

In March, Police Minister, Bheki Cele, said his department was investigating 26 cases related to police brutality across the country. However, it does not seem as if the minister is too fazed by the allegations, saying on Tuesday 7 April:

“I hear them [people] crying that cops and soldiers are brutal. Not listening to us is brutality.

“It’s our duty. If you don’t want to protect yourself and the rest of us, we must start by protecting you … so we need to push a little bit.”

Aside from the clear ethical issues with an abuse of law enforcement, the risk is that if these extreme policing measures are applied without due caution and consideration, they will eventually be resisted.

Let’s hope our nation will be spared from this. Dealing with a deadly pandemic while the economy is in dire straits, is more than enough on our plate for now.

Conflict over how to respond to land occupation during lockdown intensifies

Return to home soil: Francois Steyn to join Cheetahs

South Africa’s two-time Rugby World Cup winner Francois Steyn will join the Cheetahs from Montpellier, the Free State side announced on Sunday in a deal which will also allow him to tend to his farm near Bloemfontein.

Versatile Sprinbgoks back Steyn, 32, who has made 67 Test appearances, became the youngest player to lift the Webb Ellis trophy in 2007 before also clinching it again in 2019.

“We are delighted to announce that Frans Steyn has signed a two-year agreement with the Cheetahs, starting on July 1,” said Cheetahs’ managing director Harold Verster.

The French top-flight and the PRO14 seasons have been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic with Steyn in his fifth season with Montpellier.

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Horoscope today

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